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What Does My Lab Test Reports Indicate?
Question: Hi Dr
My son was born on 28th Dec 2015- healthy baby with 50 cm height and 2.76 kg weight. Yesterday on 10th Feb 2016, we received the Life cell report and it showed CMV Igg Reactive and CMV Igm Non Reactive in the maternal blood sample. We never got the CMV tests done for my wife during the pregnancy as her dr never asked to and we never knew.
I was researching on google and it says that had my wife contracted the virus during pregnancy, it can be bad for the baby -Though he is healthy now, it can create problems in future if is effected by the virus.
Please let me know if any additional test is required for the baby and the mother and how do we check if the baby is effected or not and when my wife got this virus. Please help
My son was born on 28th Dec 2015- healthy baby with 50 cm height and 2.76 kg weight. Yesterday on 10th Feb 2016, we received the Life cell report and it showed CMV Igg Reactive and CMV Igm Non Reactive in the maternal blood sample. We never got the CMV tests done for my wife during the pregnancy as her dr never asked to and we never knew.
I was researching on google and it says that had my wife contracted the virus during pregnancy, it can be bad for the baby -Though he is healthy now, it can create problems in future if is effected by the virus.
Please let me know if any additional test is required for the baby and the mother and how do we check if the baby is effected or not and when my wife got this virus. Please help
Brief Answer:
No need for any further testing
Detailed Answer:
Hi.... there is no need for any further testing. I will explain the reason behind my decision so that you can be more confident and comfortable.
The test result of your wife say that IgG is positive - this means that she is having resistance power againest CMV. IgM was negative that means that she does not have any active or on going infection.
As your wife herself has got resistance power against CMV you need not worry about the kid being affected.
As the mother herself is resistant there is no chance that the kid it will get this infection in the womb.
Moreover you say that this kid is hale and healthy. Active kid is a well kid. Babies of this age if they are feeding well and urinating well and active when the kid is awake - means that the baby is well baby.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
No need for any further testing
Detailed Answer:
Hi.... there is no need for any further testing. I will explain the reason behind my decision so that you can be more confident and comfortable.
The test result of your wife say that IgG is positive - this means that she is having resistance power againest CMV. IgM was negative that means that she does not have any active or on going infection.
As your wife herself has got resistance power against CMV you need not worry about the kid being affected.
As the mother herself is resistant there is no chance that the kid it will get this infection in the womb.
Moreover you say that this kid is hale and healthy. Active kid is a well kid. Babies of this age if they are feeding well and urinating well and active when the kid is awake - means that the baby is well baby.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Dr.
Just 2 follow up questions and this is a worst case scenario.
What if the acute infection happened when she was pregnant and had CMV igm +and after 9 months when the blood test sample was taken for the cord cell preservation, what if the Igm became non reactive? This is a worst case scenario.
Also, will CMV Igg Avity test confirm how old the acute infection was?
If CMV Igm is detectable after the primary infection, how long does it take for it to be undetectable?
Just 2 follow up questions and this is a worst case scenario.
What if the acute infection happened when she was pregnant and had CMV igm +and after 9 months when the blood test sample was taken for the cord cell preservation, what if the Igm became non reactive? This is a worst case scenario.
Also, will CMV Igg Avity test confirm how old the acute infection was?
If CMV Igm is detectable after the primary infection, how long does it take for it to be undetectable?
Brief Answer:
I understand your concern - queries answered
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I understand your concern. Will answer your questions first and then explain about the tests.
1. Even if the acute infection had occurred in early pregnancy and the IgM has become non reactive now - even then you need not worry as the baby is normal.
2. IgG level or activity cannot decide how old the infection is. It will just tell you that it is an old infection and that the body has acquired resistance to that particular viral infection.
3. IgM usually rises early on in the infection and will settle down to undetectable levels within few weeks to months. There is no specific time period which has been defined scientifically.
Will try to explain you about the serological tests of IgG and IgM.
Antibody testing is done on blood samples and can be used to determine if someone has had recent or past exposure.
There are two types of CMV antibodies that are produced in response to a CMV infection, IgM and IgG, and one or both may be detected in the blood.
IgM antibodies are the first to be produced by the body in response to a CMV infection. They are present in most individuals within a week or two after the initial exposure. IgM antibody production rises for a short time period and then declines. After several months, the level of CMV IgM antibody usually falls below detectable levels. Additional IgM antibodies are produced when latent CMV is reactivated.
IgG antibodies are produced by the body several weeks after the initial CMV infection and provide protection from primary infections. Levels of IgG rise during the active infection, then stabilize as the CMV infection resolves and the virus becomes inactive. After a person has been exposed to CMV, the person will have some measurable amount of CMV IgG antibody in their blood for the rest of their life. This is very important... that's why do not worry about the IgG being positive.
CMV IgG antibody testing can be used, along with IgM testing, to help confirm the presence of a recent or previous CMV infection.
If you want to do any test on the baby what you can do is CMV IgM. CMV IgG will be obviously be positive for the baby as the mother would have transferred her antibodies to the foetus.
If IgM is positive for the baby then you can go ahead with viral load testing which will give us a direction as to whether the baby has to be treated or not.
But as a clinician if the baby is otherwise healthy and gaining weight well I will not do any further testing on the baby.
These tests are suggested because you have asked to suggest if there are any further testing and also that you are worried about the baby being affected by CMV.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
I understand your concern - queries answered
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I understand your concern. Will answer your questions first and then explain about the tests.
1. Even if the acute infection had occurred in early pregnancy and the IgM has become non reactive now - even then you need not worry as the baby is normal.
2. IgG level or activity cannot decide how old the infection is. It will just tell you that it is an old infection and that the body has acquired resistance to that particular viral infection.
3. IgM usually rises early on in the infection and will settle down to undetectable levels within few weeks to months. There is no specific time period which has been defined scientifically.
Will try to explain you about the serological tests of IgG and IgM.
Antibody testing is done on blood samples and can be used to determine if someone has had recent or past exposure.
There are two types of CMV antibodies that are produced in response to a CMV infection, IgM and IgG, and one or both may be detected in the blood.
IgM antibodies are the first to be produced by the body in response to a CMV infection. They are present in most individuals within a week or two after the initial exposure. IgM antibody production rises for a short time period and then declines. After several months, the level of CMV IgM antibody usually falls below detectable levels. Additional IgM antibodies are produced when latent CMV is reactivated.
IgG antibodies are produced by the body several weeks after the initial CMV infection and provide protection from primary infections. Levels of IgG rise during the active infection, then stabilize as the CMV infection resolves and the virus becomes inactive. After a person has been exposed to CMV, the person will have some measurable amount of CMV IgG antibody in their blood for the rest of their life. This is very important... that's why do not worry about the IgG being positive.
CMV IgG antibody testing can be used, along with IgM testing, to help confirm the presence of a recent or previous CMV infection.
If you want to do any test on the baby what you can do is CMV IgM. CMV IgG will be obviously be positive for the baby as the mother would have transferred her antibodies to the foetus.
If IgM is positive for the baby then you can go ahead with viral load testing which will give us a direction as to whether the baby has to be treated or not.
But as a clinician if the baby is otherwise healthy and gaining weight well I will not do any further testing on the baby.
These tests are suggested because you have asked to suggest if there are any further testing and also that you are worried about the baby being affected by CMV.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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