VERTICAL TRANSMISSION OF VIRAL-INFECTIONS

A variety of congenital viral infections are responsible for a large p roportion of the mortality and morbidity in infancy and childhood. Ver tical transmission may occur during primary maternal infection or duri ng chronic or recurrent infection, with different implications for cou nselling and testing in pregnancy. Strategies for the diagnosis and pr evention of mother-to-child transmission differ according to the timin g and mechanisms involved, As demonstrated by hepatitis B research in the past and human immunodeficiency virus today, multicenter cohort st udies and clinical trials are a key to developing effective interventi ons. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.