Clinical background:
Diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection requires a positive CMV PCR taken within 3 weeks of birth. Where a positive result is obtained after 3 weeks this could reflect postnatal infection. Babies have newborn bloodspot (Guthrie card) samples taken soon after birth as part of the national screening programme. These samples are stored and can be used to test for CMV retrospectively. This may also be helpful when trying to diagnose the cause of sensorineural hearing loss in older infants and children.
A specific request form and parental consent is required to retrieve these sample for testing. This is available for the newborn screening lab [email protected].
Specimen container paediatric:
Guthrie card collected soon after birth.
Specimen container adult:
N/A
Minimum volume paediatric:
Guthrie card collected soon after birth.
Minimum volume adult:
N/A
Special requirements:
Contact Neonatal Screening.
Sample Stability:
Guthrie cards are kept for 5 years.
Transport requirements:
Standard
Add On Test:
Possible up to age 5.
Quality Assurance:
Sample referred to Reference Laboratory.
Interpretation:
Interpretative comments are added to reports where applicable.
Reference Ranges:
N/A
Factors Affecting Result:
If delays likely, refrigerate at 2-8 deg C
Referenced Documents:
Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI V 28).
Other Info:
Sample referred to Royal Free Hospital, London.