EVALUATION OF VIROLOGICAL PROCEDURES TO DETECT FETAL HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION - AVIDITY OF IGG ANTIBODIES, VIRUS DETECTION IN AMNIOTIC-FLUID AND MATERNAL SERUM
G. Ruellaneugene et al., EVALUATION OF VIROLOGICAL PROCEDURES TO DETECT FETAL HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION - AVIDITY OF IGG ANTIBODIES, VIRUS DETECTION IN AMNIOTIC-FLUID AND MATERNAL SERUM, Journal of medical virology, 50(1), 1996, pp. 9-15
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common cause of viral intraut
erine infection and fetal damage largely due to maternal primary infec
tion. Virological procedures which are able to detect HCMV fetal infec
tion were evaluated. HCMV IgG antibodies were detected in 62.5% of the
pregnant women and 1.47% had a primary infection. From March, 1992 to
August, 1995, 29 seroconversions were observed, and in 64 other cases
. HCMV IgM antibodies were detected in the first serological test. The
mean IgG antibody avidity test (AI) was 31% for the 11 seroconversion
s tested and 74% in 32 cases where IgG and IgM HCMV antibodies were de
tected in the first serum. In the 29 HCMV seroconversions, 19 amniocen
tesis were carried out and 12 fetuses (41.4%) were infected in utero.
In four amniotic fluids positive in culture and PCR, the fetus or newb
orns were infected and in one out of the two cordocentesis undertaken,
hepatitis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia were noted. In four other cas
es, investigations seeking HCMV in amniotic fluid were negative wherea
s infants were infected at birth. Among the 64 cases with positive HCM
V IgM and IgG antibodies detected in the first serological test, three
fetuses were infected in utero, but no amniotic fluid was available i
n these cases. Amniotic fluids were studied in 39 cases, and HCMV dete
ction by culture and PCR-hybridization was negative. HCMV DNA was dete
cted in the maternal sera of five out of 21 pairs of seroconversions a
nd in two cases on the first negative serum. The assay was also carrie
d out on 50 of the 64 HCMV IgM positive sera. Two had detectable HCMV
DNA. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.