Cytomegalovirus Viral Load

Description: 
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the quantification of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in EDTA whole blood. Please ensure specimen reaches CSR before 2.00pm Mon to Fri for result the following working day morning. Use GSTT Guidelines for the specific patient groups to interpret results. Seek advice from on-call Infection StR via hospital switchboard. This assay is available routinely Mon to Fri.

Clinical details: 
Used for routine surveillance in patients at risk of active CMV infection and disease, monitoring response to immune suppression dose reduction and/or antiviral therapy, or suspected active/primary CMV infecton.
Related condition or disease: 
Organ or bone marrow transplant recipient, immunocompromised host, congenital CMV infection, serology suggesting active CMV infection in normal host
Reference range: 

532 to 10,000,000 IU/mL

Synonyms or keywords: 
CMV, Surveillance, TORCH, Colitis, Pneumonitis, Retinitis
Units: 
International Units per milliliter (IU/mL)
Department: 
Infection Sciences Department
Location: 
St Thomas' Hospital
Sample type and Volume required: 
4 - 9ml Purple Top EDTA whole blood.
Turnaround time: 
4 working days
Criteria for acceptance / rejections of sample
Storage and transport: 
Place labelled sample in a sealed sample bag and send to Central Specimen Reception (CSR). Samples should be sent to CSR promptly as the sensitivity of assays that detect RNA/DNA depend on sample quality/integrity. Please store samples in a refrigerator if there is a delay in sending samples to CSR.
Contacts:
Infection Sciences Department at St Thomas' Hospital
020 7188 8008
St Thomas' Hospital
North Wing - 5th Floor
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
Core opening hours: Monday-Friday 0900-1730


For clinical advice or interpretation of results, please contact the laboratory in the first instance.
Laboratory: 
Virology Laboratory at St Thomas'

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Last updated: 06/10/2023