Cmv Quantitative (viral Load) - Real Time Pcr

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. The testing or quantification of CMV DNA in plasma from at-risk patients is intended to use in conjunction clinical presentation and other laboratory tests 2. The test is not indicated for screening asymptomatic patients and is not only criterion in the diagnosis and therapeutic decision for CMV disease 3. The CMV DNA viral load monitoring over time is recommended for prediction of CMV disease. Negative or low CMV viral loads in individuals suspected to have clinically significant CMV viremia, testing by an alternative molecular assay method is recommended 4. Tissue-invasive CMV disease may not have detectable viral load in the peripheral blood. In such a case, qualitative detection of CMV DNA from tissue biopsy would provide useful and definitive evidence of CMV disease 5. Although all precautions are taken and results cross checked during Nucleic acid tests the currently available data indicates the technical error rate for all such analysis is ~1-2% 6. Although rare, mutations within the highly conserved regions of the viral genome covered by the assay may result in under quantitation or failure to detect the presence of the virus 7. Validity and performance of the assay are revised at regular intervals