Background: The cytomegalovirus (CMV), which has a widespread distribution and can infect people at any stage of life, is one of the opportunistic viruses. It is a major cause of prenatal and perinatal infections and may lead to important complications in pregnancy.
Objective: This study was suggested to molecular screening for cytomegalovirus among sample women who suffered miscarriage by using Real time PCR and identification of the UL97 gene by conventional PCR technique
Methodology: The study includes 100 samples, 80 women who suffered from abortion and were referred to Al-Batool Teaching Hospital and 20 healthy control women in a period between November 2021 and January 2022. Real-Time (PCR qPCR) was used in the study's initial phase to detect HCMV DNA in blood samples.
Result: The result showed the HCMV DNA was detected in 8 (10.0%) out of 80 patients were found to be CMV positive. Due to the necessity of early and accurate infection diagnosis before the development of their effects, even with low levels of pathogenicity, the molecular strategy can be useful for achieving this objective. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used in the study's second section to amplify the UL97 gene, which showed detection of the HCMV in 5 (62.5%) of specimens out of 8 (100 %) of a total specimens infected with HCMV that were collected from aborted women and then detected by real time PCR technique.
Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference between the study groups in terms of HCMV positive as assessed by real-time PCR and the UL97 gene (p >0.05).