Development of a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of congenital human cytomegalovirus infection in urine samples

• Published in: Molecular and cellular probes Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 50 - 52
• Main Authors: Ligozzi, Marco, Poggi, Mara, Saletti, Marilena, Gibellini, Davide
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Congenital infection; Cytomegalovirus - genetics; Cytomegalovirus Infections - congenital; Cytomegalovirus Infections - diagnosis; Cytomegalovirus Infections - urine; DNA, Viral - chemistry; DNA, Viral - genetics; DNA, Viral - urine; HCMV; Human cytomegalovirus; Humans; Infant, Newborn; PCR; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sequence Analysis, DNA - methods; Shell vial viral culture; Shell vial viral culture; HCMV; PCR; Congenital infection
• ISSN: 0890-8508; 1096-1194
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2015.11.006

A TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), based on amplification of HCMV UL54 gene specific sequence, was developed and compared with shell vial viral culture assay, the gold standard technique for the diagnosis of congenital HCMV infection, using urine samples collected from 110 newborns. The results indicate that this qPCR is slightly more sensitive than shell vial assay suggesting that qPCR may be considered a useful alternative for diagnosing congenital HCMV infection. •TaqMan real time PCR specific for the amplification of HCMV UL54 gene was developed.•This assay was applied on the diagnosis of HCMV congenital infection.•qPCR assay may be a useful alternative to the shell vial culture as gold standard technique.