Gertrude Van Rensburg

I am a research nurse and I have been involved in the Trophoblast and CHERI study since August 2024.

I recruit premature infants with a birth weight of less than 1.5kg and less than 14 days old at Tygerberg Hospital. I take consent from the parents after informing them about the study; that we are doing a voluntary anonymous study to check whether babies have been exposed in-utero or in the hospital to CMV (Cytylomegalo virus).

After I have obtained consent, I do weekly saliva swabs in the baby’s mouth and record clinical information regarding the baby’s growth, blood results, cranial ultrasound and hearing screening results.

I ask doctors in the ward to collect 0,5ml blood for the study as they perform their routine blood tests. If the baby tests positive for CMV; 1.5ml blood is requested for a Gene pax screening.

Follow-up is done weekly until the baby is discharged or transferred. All results are captured on a spreadsheet and Redcap data capturing system