Application of Molecular Diagnostic Techniques for Viral Testing

Cobo, Fernando

CMV infection can have several clinical presentations such as non-specific viral syndrome, ocular and congenital disease. Infection can also occur in the CNS, and in the majority of them the clinical presentation is in the form of encephalitis, but also as myelitis, radiculomyelopathy and mononeuritis multiplex. Studies suggest that the detection of CMV DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is highly sensitive and specific for CMV neurologic disease [45] . CMV DNA could be detected by conventional PCR in the CSF of HIV patients [46] but is rarely detected in HIVinfected patients without clinical neurological disease. CMV viral load testing using PCR techniques (including real-time PCR) or hybrid capture assays can detect and quantify CMV DNA or DNA-RNA hybrids in clinical specimens, including the CSF [47] . CMV viral load assays can be performed quickly, but it is important to use the same assay while monitoring an individual patient. Interpretation of the results of the viral load is sometimes problematic and unclear because CMV viral load have not been standardized, so it is not possible to define cutoff values.