Characterization of a universal screening approach for congenital CMV infection based on a highly-sensitive, quantitative, multiplex real-time PCR assay
Fig 4
Course of CMV DNA load in saliva samples.
The course of CMV DNA loads (IU/PCR reaction) in buccal swabs from screening and confirmatory testing is shown for each individual patient. Included were all patients with confirmed cCMV infection (n = 18, filled icons) as well as the three patients who were found to be CMV DNA positive in the buccal swab but not in blood and urine at time of confirmation (open symbols). Samples for CMV screening were taken within 3 days after birth (week 1, represented as gray circle). Sampling for confirmatory diagnostics was performed in five cases within in the recommended time frame of three weeks after birth and in 15 cases within three and eight weeks after birth (figured as gray square). In one case confirmatory diagnostics could only be done after 16 weeks.