DIAGNOSIS OF CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION BY EXAMINATION OF PLACENTA - APPLICATION OF POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION AND IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION

We examined the placentas of 12 patients in whom congenital cytomegalo virus (CMV) infection was suspected from serological and/or pathologic al evaluation. Seven patients died (including four intrauterine deaths ) and five survived. On histological examination, the characteristic i nclusion bodies were detected in only three placentas, and villitis wi th plasma cell infiltration was sea in eight placentas. Immunohistoche mistry wing a specific antibody against CMV improved the sensitivity o f CMV detection (10 cases were positive). With the polymerase chain re action (PCR) following the extraction of DNA from formaldehyde-fixed p lacenta samples, CMV DNA was detected in seven cases. All 12 subjects were diagnosed with CMV infection by additional Southern blot analysis after the PCR CMV DNA was also detected by an in situ hybridization m ethod in all cases. With current molecular biological techniques the p lacenta can be reliably used for the diagnosis of congenital infection .