Introduction:

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is frequent during the first years of life in underdeveloped countries and in lower socioeconomic groups. Objective: to determine the prevalence of CMV infection identifying the viral genome of Cytomegalovirus by using PCR in blood samples from infants from 0 to 12 months of age who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit with a suspected infection.

Materials and methods:

This was a retrospective, descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study. From January 2015 to May 2017, we analyzed peripheral blood samples from infants with suspected CMV infection. Promega® reagents were used, followed by real-time PCR with Rotor Gene® equipment. Variables were: age, sex, place of origin, clinical symptoms and results of the polymerase chain reaction. The data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics.

Results:

146 real-time PCR results from blood samples were included, 84% (123/146) were infants under 6 months of age. In 42% (62/146) viral DNA was detected by PCR, of these, 38% were girls; 28% were infants under 2 months of age. 17.7% (11/62) were preterm infants. Clinical symptoms and findings in the positive cases were prematurity, anemia in 8% Jaundice in 5.6%, respiratory difficulty in 5.4%, pneumonia in and 1.3%, and hepatosplenomegaly in 4%.

Conclusion:

CMV infection was confirmed by real-time PCR in 42% of infants, 28% were between 0 to 2 months of age and 17.7% were preterm infants, similar to other studies.

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