Lab Testing

Product Description

**Note: All laboratory testing requires an authorizing physician. DHA Laboratory offers a patient direct program that partners you with an authorizing physician. If you have any additional questions regarding the availability of testing, please contact our laboratory by telephone or email.**

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) testing can be used to test for a CMV infection. It may be used help diagnose an active, reactivated, or past CMV infection in certain cases, such as:

• Some pregnant women or immune-compromised people with signs and symptoms
• People who may receive an organ or bone marrow transplant
• Newborns with certain birth (congenital) abnormalities

This type of test detects antibodies in the blood that are produced in response to a CMV infection. It can be used to diagnose a current or past infection by detecting and measuring two classes of CMV antibodies:

• IgM antibodies are produced by the body first in response to a CMV infection. They can be detected in the blood within a week or two after the initial exposure. IgM levels (titers) rise for a short time, then decline and usually fall below detectable levels after a few months. IgM antibody levels rise again when latent CMV is reactivated.
• IgG antibodies are produced several weeks after the initial CMV infection. IgG levels rise during the active infection, then stabilize as the CMV infection resolves and the virus becomes inactive. Once exposed to CMV, you will have some measurable amount of CMV IgG antibody in your blood for the rest of your life, which provides protection from getting another primary infection (immunity).

Please note that this test only measures IgM antibodies.