Cytomegalovirus (CMV) PCR, Ocular Fluids

Label Mnemonic:	CMVQPCR
Epic code:	LAB8793
Downtime form:	Doctor/Provider Orders - Pathology Core and Specialty Care Nursery

Commercial Mailout Laboratory
6240-8 RCP
356-8593

Specimen(s):

Aqueous Fluid or Vitreous Fluid

Collection Medium:

Sterile container

Minimum:

Preferred Minimum: 0.1 mL Aqueous or Vitreous Fluid
Absolute Minimum: 0.05 mL Aqueous or Vitreous Fluid

Rejection Criteria:

Do not add water, saline or other fluid media to container. Do not ship specimen in syringe.

Delivery Instructions:

Ship Monday through Friday. Friday shipments must be labeled for Saturday delivery. All specimens must be labeled with patient's name and collection date.

Turn Around Time:

Within 8 - 12 hours upon receipt at reference laboratory

Comments:

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important pathogen in the transplant setting causing pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, CNS disease, neutropenia, and disseminated disease. Prior to the availability of rapid and sensitive DNA PCR, CMV was a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the transplant population. Quantitative CMV DNA PCR can be used for early detection of CMV reactivation, primary infections, and monitoring response to treatment.

Clinically significant Cytomegalovirus infection frequently develops in immunocompromised patient populations (e.g. hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, solid organ transplant and HIV). A frequent complication after transplantation, CMV infection may cause a series of direct and indirect effects that lead to increased incidence of graft rejection, opportunistic infections, and decreased allograft and patient survival.1,2 Symptomatic CMV disease in immunocompromised individuals can affect almost every organ of the body, resulting in fever, pneumonia, hepatitis, encephalitis, myelitis, colitis, uveitis, retinitis, and neuropathy.

Methodology:

Extraction of CMV DNA from specimen followed by amplification and detection using real-time, quantitative PCR.

CPT Code:

87497