title: Rapid diagnosis of herpesvirus hominis infection of cervix and vagina before delivery.
abstract: The incidence of asymptomatic vaginal and cervical Herpes virus hominis shedding in a group of 51 pregnant women near term was investigated by the method of indirect immunofluorescence. All women were tested serologically by the method of microneutralisation in order to diagnose latent HVH type 1 or HVH type 2 infection. The shedding of HVH, in most cases, was the consequence of the activated HVH latent infection. It was revealed that 13.72% of asymptomatic HVH type 1 shedding was from vagina alone, and 7.27% of asymptomatic HVH type 1 shedding was from cervix alone. The same percentage (17%) of HVH type 2 shedding was revealed from both the vagina and the cervix. All women whose cervical and vaginal smears showed positive HVH type 1 or HVH type 2 immunofluorescence were latently infected. We have no direct data to refuse or confirm the suggestions that Caesarian section is recommended in women with genital herpes. The fact that both vaginal and cervical asymptomatic shedding of HVH occur during pregnancy indicates that these women undergo the virologic examination near term. The evaluation of duration of asymptomatic shedding is needed. Close clinical and virologic observation will markedly reduce both clinical and subclinical HVH infection of the newborn infant. In such circumstances rapid diagnosis of HVH infection becomes extremely important in the pregnant women.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*