CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RECURRENCE IN SEROPOSITIVE PREGNANT-WOMEN ATTENDING OBSTETRIC CLINICS

To understand reasons for cytomegalovirus (CMV) recurrence, a cohort o f 350 CMV-seropositive pregnant women attending obstetric clinics in T aiwan was examined for cervical or urinary CMV shedding. Urine specime ns were collected from 350 women and cervical secretion specimens were collected from 220 women. We measured the association of various fact ors with CMV recurrence, which was defined as viral shedding identifie d by the presence of a CMV-specific gene sequence amplified by the pol ymerase chain reaction in seropositive individuals. CMV recurrence sta tus was independently associated with a sexual activity composite vari able, which was defined by three sexual activity indicators: age at fi rst sexual intercourse, total years of sexual experience, and average frequency of sexual intercourse prior to pregnancy. Pregnant women wit h a history of genital tract infection were more likely than women wit hout such history to experience cervical CMV recurrence. Similarly, pr egnant women with previous urinary tract infections were more likely t o experience urinary CMV recurrence. The findings indicate that multip le exposure to CMV by sexual activity prior to pregnancy is an importa nt determinant of CMV recurrence during pregnancy. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss , Inc.