2334. Saliva Screening for Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Beware!

Abstract

BackgroundCongenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss in infancy. Screening of newborns for cCMV infection has been performed utilizing saliva due to ease of collection and high sensitivity. Positive saliva screens for CMV DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing has been reported to occur secondary to breast milk feeding without signifying congenital infection. The NICUs of Nationwide Children’s Hospital recently began universal saliva screening of all admissions. We report 3 neonates whose saliva CMV screen was positive yet the urine CMV PCR test was negative in order to inform CMV screening strategies.MethodsRetrospective review of the electronic health records of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive unit (NICU) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH who had CMV detected by PCR from saliva specimens but not from urine. Pertinent demographic and clinical data were obtained.ResultsThree female neonates had a positive saliva CMV DNA PCR test but urine CMV PCR was negative. The first infant (gestational age [GA] 34 weeks, birth weight [BW]1790 Grams) was a monochorionic diamionic twin gestation and born vaginally with unknown duration of rupture of membranes (ROM). At 16 days of age, the infant had a positive saliva CMV PCR but a negative urine CMV PCR test. The infant received maternal milk. The twin’s CMV PCR tests of saliva and urine were negative. The second infant (GA 38 weeks, BW 2952 grams) was born vaginally after 9 hours of ROM. On the first day of age, the infant had a positive saliva CMV PCR test that was followed by a negative urine CMV PCR on the third day of age. The infant had not been breastfed. The third infant (GA 33 weeks, BW 1762 grams) was born by C-section delivery with ROM at delivery. Saliva CMV PCR screen was positive on the second day of age but urine PCR was negative twice (days 5 and 7). All 3 infants had no signs/symptoms of cCMV infection and passed the newborn hearing screen.ConclusionTesting of saliva for CMV DNA by PCR is not always confirmatory for cCMV infection as contamination of saliva specimens with CMV could result from exposure to maternal milk and possibly vaginal secretions. Definitive diagnosis of cCMV infection requires additional confirmatory testing preferably with urine.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.