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Test Code CMVP Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Quantitative PCR, Blood

Infectious

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Preferred Specimen: Lavender EDTA tube

Volume

Preferred Volume: 5 - 10 mL

Minimum Volume: 3 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

(20 - 25°C)

24 hours

Refrigerated

(2 - 10°C)

 24 hours

Frozen

(-20°C)

not acceptable

Collection Instructions

Specimen Collection: Venipucture


Specimen Transport: Immediate

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. If transport is delayed, refrigerate specimens prior to transport.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, incorrect collection container, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Only one test request per day is accepted.
  • Whole blood/unspun samples greater than 24 hours will be rejected. 
  • Whole blood not collected in Lavender top vacuatainer tube will be rejected.

Reference Values

 

Analyte

Age

Sex

Reference Range

Negative

All

All

No CMV DNA detected
Detection limit

All

 All 34.5 IU/mL
Quantitation Reportable Range All All 34.5 - 4,000,000 IU/mL
Quantitation Reportable Range Log All All 1.54-6.60 IU/ mL
 

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

STAT Turnaround Time: not available

Routine Turnaround Time: 72 hours

Testing Schedule: Monday - Sunday

Clinical Indications

  • cobas® CMV is not intended for use as a screening test for the presence of CMV in blood or blood products and has not been evaluated as a diagnostic test to confirm the presence of CMV infection.

  • Quantitation of CMV DNA may be affected by sample collection methods, patient factors (i.e., age, presence of symptoms), and/or stage of infection.

  • Negative test results do not preclude CMV infection or tissue-invasive CMV disease, and test results should therefore not be the sole basis for patient management decisions.

CPT Codes

87497

LOINC Codes

30687497

Methodology

Roche cobas® 6800 automated PCR

Synonyms/Keyword Search

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, CMV, CMVP, CMV viral load, CMV plasma, Cytomegalovirus, DNA PCR, Cytomegalovirus Qualitative PCR

Last Review Date

09/05/2025