DETECTION OF AIRBORNE CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN-HOSPITAL ROOMS OF IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major pathogen in immunocompromised p atients. Transmission in this population is known to occur by fomites, but the potential for airborne spread is unkown. In this study, air f rom the rooms of two immunosuppressed patients with CMV pneumonia and one patient with latent infection was filtered and examined by a polym erase chain reaction assay. CMV-DNA was easily detected in the rooms o f the patients with pneumonia and a weak positive signal was detected in the room of the patient with latent CMV infection. This technique p ermits the detection of aerosolized CMV-DNA and could possibly be adap ted to detect other airborne pathogens.