HUMAN PARVOVIRUS B19 - IMMUNITY OF GREEK FEMALES AND PRENATAL INVESTIGATION OF HYDROPS-FETALIS

Sera from 308 healthy Greek females of reproductive age were examined for specific IgG antibodies to human parvovirus B19 by recombinant-Eli sa to determine the immunity rates of this part of population to parvo virus B19. Also paired maternal sera and amniotic fluids from nine pre gnancies with hydrops fetalis were investigated for specific Ige and I gM antibodies and parvovirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction and sout hern hybridization analysis. The latter study was conducted to find ou t the participation of parvovirus B19 infection in hydrops fetalis cas es in Greece. The overall prevalence of IgG antibodies in healthy Gree k females was at a rate of 57.8% rising with age. One case of hydrops fetalis out of the nine examined, was diagnosed prenatally as parvovir us B19 maternal-fetal infection. It was a twin pregnancy with one fetu s hydropic and the other growth retarded. Premature birth of liveborn infants was followed by neonatal death, 48 h after delivery. The contr ibution of parvovirus B19 in cases of non-immune hydrops fetalis was a t 11% in this part of the world. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd .