Acute CMV infection in paediatric population

Abstract number: 1134_03_6

Koudounis P., Pagkalou M., Triantafillou G., Rozi P.

Objectives:  

The aim of this study is the laboratory confirmation of acute CMV infection in children who have been hospitalized or have attended the Outpatient's Department with signs and symptoms that suggest recent CMV infection.

Methods:  

Blood samples were taken from 66 children (40 boys and 26 girls), aged 9 months to 13 years, with symptoms suggesting recent CMV infection, from July 2002 to December 2003. They were tested for detection of CMV antibodies (IgM and IgG) by Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay (AXSYM, ABBOTT) Enzyme linked Fluorescent Assay was used as a method of confirmation of the IgM positive tests. Also, the test of IgG-avidity was used as a supplementary means for the exclusion of a recent primary infection of less than 3 months (Vidas, bioMerieux).

Results:  

Out of the total of 66 children examined, the 17 (group I) were found to be positive both for IgM and IgG antibodies, 3 (group II) were found to be positive only for IgM antibodies and 24 (group III) were found to be positive only for IgG antibodies. 22 children haven't been exposed to the disease (IgM-/IgG-). In group I children, with the use of the CMV-avidity test, the acute infection was excluded in 8 out of 17 children, a fact that was also confirmed with the second antibody detection test. In group II, 2 in 3 children were excluded in the same way, while in the other child acute infection was confirmed in the tests of confirmation. In group III, old infection was found with the CMV avidity test.

Conclusion:  

Those results give us indicative information about the incidence of CMV infections in our hospital in the chronological period that is referred above. This study showed that the use of confirmation tests are necessary in several cases, especially those with unclear clinical and laboratory findings.