The cytomegalovirus (CMV), which is one of the herpes viruses, lies dormant in the body of almost every second adult. In general, the pathogen remains unnoticed. In immunocompromised people or in infections during pregnancy, it can lead to severe complications such as the formation of pneumonia or growth retardation and neurological late complications in newborns. Without early treatment, severe courses of illness have a poor prognosis and often end fatally.

The current diagnosis is carried out either via a PCR test, with which the virus can be detected quantitatively, or by antigen detection with a pp65 test using fluorescence staining. Both procedures are time-consuming and labor intensive.

The aim of the research project is the comprehensive optimization and further development of established diagnostic procedures. This is based on the existing diagnostic platforms from Alere Technologies GmbH, which can be specifically modified for the detection of viral proteins or viral nucleic acids.

To reach this goal, Alere Technologies GmbH and the Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy at the University Hospital Jena are closely cooperating to develop innovative measurement methods enabling fast and accurate on-site diagnosis of virus-induced pneumonia.

Project coordination
University Hospital Jena
Prof. Dr. Andreas Henke