ABSTRACT
Introduction: Knowing the frequency of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in newborn admitted to the Division of Neonatology, analysed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA detection differences in blood and urine specimens.
Methods: The study was carried out for eight months. Newborns (n = 520) hospitalized in five hospitals in Campo Grande-MS were CMV checked.
Results: Cytomegalovirus was PCR positive in 13 urine and 10 blood samples, respectively. Of the 13 positives in urine patients, three (23%) had no clinical signs suggestive of CMV, and the other three (23%) patients admitted to the NICU had no definite findings of bacterial infection with negative blood culture and some clinical signs consistent with cytomegalovirus as cholestasis, hepatomegaly and eosinophilia; three patients were on mechanical ventilation and showed improvement after prescription of ganciclovir. One CMV positive child progressed to death.
Conclusion: Congenital cytomegalovirus detection in urine was slightly more efficient than in blood, also showing better sensitivity than in serological analysis (p < 00.1) therefore, boiled urine may be a better and easier specimen tool for CMV diagnosis in neonatal infection. The findings of the present research suggest that patients admitted to the NICU, especially premature infants, whose laboratory results are not compatible with bacterial infection, and exhibiting signs suggestive of cytomegalovirus infection should have PCR done on urine for confirmation.