The ELISA testing for serum anti-CMV antibodies of the woman at 19 weeks of pregnancy revealed once again that she was positive for IgG and negative for IgM. These results indicated that she was a carrier of the virus, but without an acute recurrence of infection.

The molecular test results are shown in Fig. 4. DNA of CMV was detected in total blood of the pregnant woman (as expected), but not in her serum. Again, these results indicated that she was a carrier of the virus, but since no viral DNA was detected outside her leukocytes, a recur­rence of infection was highly unlikely.

Since the findings of both the immunological and the molecular approaches were in accordance with the above-mentioned possibility of maternal contamination of the amniotic fluid sample, the risk of current CMV infection to the fetus was considered extremely low (<3.5% as in the general population). The parents were advised to continue the pregnancy, with a provisional periodic ultrasound monitoring by the caring obstetrician. The couple was delighted and continued the pregnancy, which, four months later, resulted in the birth of a perfectly normal boy.