Increased frequency of coxsackie B virus IgM in women with spontaneous abortion.
IgM antibodies to Coxsackie B virus serotypes 1-5 (CBV 1-5) were studied by radioimmunoassay (RIA) of blood samples from women who had undergone a spontaneous abortion or given birth to a stillborn child. Results were compared with those of controls comprising healthy pregnant women who had not suffered such experiences. Among 48 women with abortions, 16 (33%) had CBV-IgM, while among the controls only three of 37 (8%) had these antibodies, a statistically significant difference (P less than 0.025). Among 21 women with a stillborn child, 11 (52%) were CBV-IgM positive, while the corresponding proportion in their controls was four of 18 (22%), a difference which is not statistically significant. It is concluded that CBV may be an important causative agent in spontaneous abortions and possibly also in stillbirths.
Frisk
G
G
Department of Medical Virology, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Diderholm
H
H
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M