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Comparison of quantitative real‐time PCR and short‐term (18‐hour) microculture in diagnosis of fetal cytomegalovirus infection: Impact of hyperimmunoglobulin treatment
Author(s) -
Penka Lukas,
Kagan KarlOliver,
Goelz Rangmar,
Hamprecht Klaus
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.5338
Subject(s) - microculture , amniocentesis , human cytomegalovirus , medicine , infectivity , cytomegalovirus , real time polymerase chain reaction , viral load , amniotic fluid , fetus , andrology , virology , herpesviridae , prenatal diagnosis , virus , pregnancy , viral disease , biology , cell culture , genetics , biochemistry , gene
Objective The prognostic value of human cytomegalovirus detection (HCMV) DNA levels from amniotic fluid (AF) for the outcome of the infected newborn is still a matter of debate, especially if the onset of maternal primary infection at amniocentesis is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the analytical performance in short‐term (18‐hour) microculture from preconcentrated samples and quantitative real‐time PCR (rtPCR) for diagnosis of fetal HCMV infection. Methods A retrospective diagnostic study was conducted on 51 AF samples taken from women that transmitted HCMV prenatally. Amniocentesis was performed around 22‐week gestation. The samples were tested for HCMV viral load via quantitative rtPCR and additionally with quantitative short‐term (18‐hour) microculture following preconcentration via a 50 000 g centrifugation step prior to inoculation to fibroblast monolayers. Results Both methods show correlating results ( ρ = 0.903). In 25 samples, the women received intravenous hyperimmunoglobulin prior to amniocentesis resulting in a lower correlation of both quantitative methods ( ρ = 0.445), in reduced median copy numbers of HCMV DNA ( P = .037) and reduced viral infectivity in short‐term microculture ( P = .025). Conclusion Both methods lead to correlating results using AF samples from HIG‐naïve women. Human cytomegalovirus viral load and infectivity in cell culture are reduced in samples following maternal hyperimmunoglobulin treatment.