Transplacental infection in mice inoculated with Getah virus.
Transplacental transmission was demonstrated in pregnant mice subcutaneously inoculated with Getah virus. Viremia was shown in the infected dams, and high-titered virus was detected in the placenta and later in the fetus, suggesting virus invasion of the fetus through hematogenous infection of the placenta. High-titered virus was shown in the fetal brain and muscle and in the brain of the young dying soon after birth. Intrauterine infection resulted in a reduction of the litter size, number of young born alive and survival rate to 1 week of age. These results were further corroborated by necropsy performed several days after virus inoculation. The stage of gestation at the time of virus inoculation greatly influenced these results. Dams inoculated at 12 days of gestation delivered all dead babies, whereas virus inoculation at 5 days of gestation had no effect on the number of young born alive. The dams inoculated at 8 days of gestation had reduced litter sizes and those inoculated at 16 days of gestation produced slightly fewer live babies. Gestational stage at the time of virus inoculation also influenced viral growth in fetuses and placentas. The infection rate was low in dams inoculated at 5 days of gestation, high in dams inoculated at 8 or 16 days of gestation and 100% in dams inoculated at 12 days of gestation. High-titered virus was shown in placentas and fetuses of the dams inoculated at 8, 12 or 16 days of gestation. These results suggest that Getah virus may readily cross the placental barrier through hematogenous infection of the placenta in mice.
Kumanomido
T
T
Epizootic Research Station, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi.
Wada
R
R
Kanemaru
T
T
Kamada
M
M
Akiyama
Y
Y
Matumoto
M
M
D000524:Alphavirus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D051379:Mice; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary; D014036:Togaviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*