Detection of Cytomegalovirus in the Meconium ofInfected Newborns by Polymerase Chain Reaction

[摘要] Objective:Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of hearing loss andmental retardation throughout the. world. Detection of the CMV DNA by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) offers a sensitive, rapid, and specific means of identification. Meconium, the stoolformed in utero, may be an ideal specimen for CMV detection. The objective of this study was todevelop a PCR-based methodology for the detection of CMV in the meconium of neonates.Methods:Meconium was collected from 10 newborn infants (seven with positive viral culturesand three uninfected infants born to CMV-seropositive mothers). For each, DNA was isolatedfrom meconium by organic extraction and attachment to a DNA-binding matrix, and PCR wasperformed using amplimers specific for the major intermediate early (MIE) and late antigenic (LA)regions of CMV.Results:Gel electrophoresis demonstrated an anticipated PCR product of 250 base pairs (bp)corresponding to the MIE region of CMV in all infected and positive control meconium samples.Furthermore, a single band of 150 bp corresponding to the LA region of CMV was also amplifiedin several of the infected infants. Conversely, no amplification of these antigenic regions was notedin either uninfected infants born to CMV-seropositive mothers or negative controls.Conclusions:CMV is present within the meconium of infected neonates and is readily detectableby PCR. Infect. Dis. Obstet. Gynecol. 8:166–171, 2000.

[学科分类] 妇产科学