Test Overview
Chemiluminescent Immunoassay
Support the diagnosis of acute Cytomegalovirus infection. The presence of IgG antibody generally indicates past exposure and immunity. The presence of IgM antibody indicates recent infection. Elevated levels in neonates should be followed up with studies to rule out the presence of maternal antibodies, either by obtaining a convalescent specimen or by the demonstration of the absence of an IgM response.
NEGATIVE: Indicates no detectable IgM antibody to CMV. EQUIVOCAL: Presence or absence of IgM antibody to CMV cannot be determined. Another specimen should be sent for analysis. POSITIVE: Indicates detectable levels of IgM antibody to CMV. Detectable levels of CMV IgM antibody support the diagnosis of an acute primary or recurring latent infection.
* Reference ranges may change over time. Please refer to the original patient report when evaluating results.
Antibody result values from different test methods and/or from different institutions cannot be compared quantitatively. The performance characteristics of this test have not been established for CSF, neonates, infants, cord blood, or pre-transplant patients.
Test Details
8 hours
- CMV Antibody IgM
- CMV IGM Antibody
- CMV Serology
- Cytomegalovirus, IgM
- Viral Antibody: Cytomegalovirus IgM
Specimen Requirements
Collect specimen in an SST (preferred) or red top tube. Centrifuge, aliquot serum into a plastic vial and refrigerate.
Additional Information
The assay is reported as either positive or negative because the magnitude of the IgM level cannot be correlated to the amount of antibody present.