Comparison between Rapid Test and ELISA in Cytomegalovirus Detection among Pregnant Women in Kirkuk City

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus is a member of herpes virus. As CMV affects many living cell, people are at risk of acquiring it especially pregnant women and can transmit it to their fetus. The purpose of this study is to compare two common methods for Cytomegalovirus diagnosis. CMV Rapid Test is performed to detect Abs specific for CMV. Likewise ELISA technique is applied for further validation. Complete blood count is performed to compare (WBC, Hb. Lymphocyte, platelet) count between patients and control groups. By Rapid test, all patients were tested positively for IgG. However only (10.16%) of 128 patients tested positive for CMV IgM. According to ELISA, IgM positivity was only (8.59%). Regarding to CBC test there were significant differences between two groups regarding to WBC count and lymphocyte count with P value (0.0001) and (0.0001) respectively. This study concluded that CMV diagnosis in pregnant women via ELISA test is more accurate and specific than rapid test.