New Tests for CMV Available in EU

Molecular diagnostic tests for the quantitative detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) are now available for diagnostic use in the European Union.

Qiagen (Hamburg, Germany) has announced that its artus CMV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits have received the CE Mark and can now be used in Europe. CMV belongs to the herpes virus family.

Immunocompromised patients often develop severe CMV infections resulting in life-threatening diseases. Artus CMV PCR kits enable early detection of CMV, which is an essential factor for successful treatment. The kits assure rapid and quantitative detection of CMV DNA and are suitable for use with the Abi Prism and LightCycler instruments and Rotor-Gene3000.

The four artus herpes detection systems can be combined, saving laboratory testing time. Due to the same temperature profile for detection of herpes virus DNA with the artus PCR kits, the four herpes viruses CMV, Epstein Barr virus (EBV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and herpes simplex (HSV) 1 and 2, can be detected in parallel on the LightCycler in a single run.

Qiagen has a worldwide PCR license for diagnostic use and provides a broad real-time PCR kit portfolio. More than half of the 60 licensed artus PCR kits are already CE-marked. These kits provide significant cost savings, not only by saving the user high licensing fees, but also by eliminating the need to expend time and money for extensive validation work and quality control. The kits are used in laboratories, hospitals, and diagnostic institutes.



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