POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION TO DETECT CYTOMEGALOVIRUS DNA IN THE CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF NEONATES WITH CONGENITAL INFECTION

To determine if cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA could be detected in the cer ebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants with congenital infection with CMV, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done on CSF samples from 13 infant s (10 with confirmed, 1 with possible, and 2 with asymptomatic congeni tal CMV infection) and on CSF samples from 100 control patients with a lternative diagnoses. By use of two sets of primers that targeted diff erent areas of the CMV genome, CMV DNA was amplified in the CSF of 6 o f 10 symptomatic infants, 0 of 3 infants with asymptomatic CMV infecti on or possible congenital CMV disease, and 2 control patients (one pri mer set only). A positive CSF PCR result at birth correlated with a po or neurodevelopmental outcome (P = .048; two-tailed Fisher's exact tes t).