Human cytomegalovirus gB genotype 1 is dominant in congenital infections in south Hungary

On the basis of the sequence variation of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene, hum an cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can be classified into four gB genotypes. Genotyp ing of HCMV from congenital infections was carried out on the assumption th at the envelope gB may influence the outcome of prenatal infection. Sixty-t hree pregnant women were included in the study: 40 pregnant women whose fet uses were strongly suspected of having viral infection, and 23 women with n ormal pregnancies, from whom amniotic fluid was taken for fetal karyotype a ssessment. The amniotic fluid, fetal blood, blood, and urine of the newborn s were examined for HCMV DNA by a nested polymerase chain reaction, and the gB genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism. HC MV DNA was detected in 12 cases in which the fetuses were suspected of havi ng a viral infection and in 3 of the normal pregnancies. All the HCMV DNA h ad identical genotype, gB1. These data clearly indicate the dominance of th e gB1 genotype in congenital HCMV infections. The clinical outcome of these pregnancies, however, cannot be predicted on the basis of the involvement of this genotype. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.