Viral shedding, and distribution of cytomegalovirus glycoprotein H (UL75), glycoprotein B (UL55), and glycoprotein N (UL73) genotypes in congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Children with congenital CMV infection (cCMV) shed virus in urine and saliva for prolonged periods of time. Outcome of cCMV varies from asymptomatic infection with no sequelae in most cases, to severe longterm morbidity. The factors associated with asymptomatic cCMV are not well defined. We evaluated the viral shedding in a cohort of infants with cCMV identified on newborn screening. In addition, we describe the distribution of viral genotypes in our cohort of asymptomatic infants and previous cohorts of cCMV children in the literature.

METHODS:

Study population consisted of 40 children with cCMV identified in screening of 19,868 infants, a prevalence of 2/1000. The viral shedding was evaluated at 3 and 18 months of age by real-time CMV-PCR of saliva and plasma, and CMV culture of urine. CMV positive saliva samples were analyzed for genotypes for CMV envelope glycoproteins gB (UL55), and gH (UL75) by genotype specific real-time PCR, and gN (UL73) by cloning and sequencing RESULTS: At 3 months age 40/40 saliva and urine samples, and 19/40 plasma samples were positive for CMV. At 18 months age all urine samples tested (33/33), 9/37 of saliva samples, and 2/34 plasma samples were positive for CMV. The genotype distribution did not differ from the published data CONCLUSIONS: The urinary virus shedding is more persistent than salivary shedding in children with cCMV. The genotype distribution was similar to previous literature and does not explain the low disease burden of cCMV in our population.

• Authors: Laura Puhakka, Sunil Pati, Maija Lappalainen, Tuula Lönnqvist, Riina Niemensivu, Päivi Lindahl, Tea Nieminen, Raija Seuri, Irmeli Nupponen, Suresh Boppana, Harri Saxen
• Journal: Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (J Clin Virol) Vol. 125 Pg. 104287 (04 2020) ISSN: 1873-5967 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 32086150 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• UL55 protein, human cytomegalovirus
• Viral Envelope Proteins
• glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus
• glycoprotein H, Cytomegalovirus

Topics

• Asymptomatic Infections
• Cohort Studies
• Cytomegalovirus (classification, genetics)
• Cytomegalovirus Infections (blood, congenital, diagnosis, urine)
• Finland
• Genotype
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Neonatal Screening
• Saliva (virology)
• Viral Envelope Proteins (genetics)
• Viral Load
• Virus Shedding