[Studies on the placental damage and IUGR caused by intravaginally inoculated herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) during pregnancy (author's transl)].
It has been recognized that intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) could be caused by viral infection during pregnancy. We have experimentally attempted the intravaginal inoculation of HSV-2 (UW-268) 1.2-2.0 X 10(6) plaque forming unit in the pregnant rat. HSV-2 inoculated at 8th and 11th day of gestation, the virus invaded in the basal layer of placenta after 15th day of gestation, but no evidence of intrauterine infection on fetus was identified. The invading route of the virus was investigated by the use of autoradiography. The effect of the virus for fetal growth retardation and placental damage was studied by the use of 14C-leucine, 14C-alanine and 3H-glucose. The virus ascended in the myometrium and endometrium of pregnant uterus and finally it was observed in the basal layer of placenta, but it disappeared rapidly in the myometrium and endometrium. The incorporation of 14C-leucine into fetal liver protein was decreased at the 20th day of gestation in the inoculated groups. The 14C-alanine transference to fetus across the placenta, gradually decreased at the 18th, 20th day of gestation in the inoculated groups. From these results we suspected the viral invasion ascending from vagina to placenta was occurred, then the IUGR was caused by damage of placenta function.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications*; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000150:complications*; D051381:Rats