Creating a quick test for congenital cytomegalovirus infection using dried blood samples

Development of a High Throughput Assay for Rapid Screening of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection using Dried Blood Spots

NIH-funded research Microgen, LLC · NIH-10878871

This study is working on a quick and cost-effective test to check for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in newborns using a small blood sample taken at birth, so that babies who need treatment can get it right away to help their language development.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMicrogen, LLC NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Marque, United States)
Project IDNIH-10878871 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a fast and affordable test to diagnose congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection in newborns using dried blood spots collected at birth. The innovative One-Step platform aims to provide results within 30 minutes, which is crucial for timely antiviral treatment that can improve language development in affected children. By enhancing the sensitivity of detection compared to current methods, this project seeks to facilitate early diagnosis and intervention, particularly for asymptomatic infants who may later experience hearing loss.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are newborns and infants up to 4 weeks old who are at risk for congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Not a fit: Patients who are older than 4 weeks or those who do not have dried blood spots available for testing may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of cCMV infection, significantly improving language development outcomes for affected children.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases can significantly improve treatment outcomes, suggesting a promising potential for this novel approach.

Where this research is happening

La Marque, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.