Urine qRT-PCR assay as a screening tool for the detection of congenital human cytomegalovirus infection of infants

BSc student: Emina Huseinbegovic

Cytomegalovirus infection is the most common congenital infection, occurring in 0.2-1% live births worldwide. The increasing trend of congenitally CMV-infected infants has been recorded in Sarajevo Canton as well. Nevertheless, the technical approach for blood sampling in infants is considered invasive. Because of that issue, the infants are often not tested for CMV, while asymptomatic infections remain undiagnosed. Thus, the purpose of my BSc research project is to elucidate the sensitivity of urine samples for the detection of CMV DNA in infants as well as to reflect the importance of Real-time PCR as a molecular technique for non-invasive diagnostics of CMV infection of infants.