Viral load as a determinant for transmission of human papillomavirus type 16 from mother to child.
Whilst genital papillomaviruses are commonly believed to be sexually transmitted, transmission of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) from mother to child at delivery has been described previously [Pakarian et al. (in press) British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology]. In order to determine whether viral load in cervical/vaginal cells was an important determinant of transmission 15 pregnant women with HPV-16 infections were studied. Eight of these women had infants who were positive for HPV-16 DNA at genital and/or buccal sites. Viral load was estimated by laser densitometry of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. The eight mothers--four with a previous history of abnormal smears and two with previous genital warts--who transmitted infection to their infants had significantly higher viral loads (P < 0.05) than those who did not. It is concluded that viral load is an important, but not the sole, determinant for the transmission of HPV-16 from mother to infant.
Kaye
J N
JN
Department of Virology, Richard Dimbleby Laboratory of Cancer Virology, United Medical School of Guys', London, United Kingdom.
Cason
J
J
Pakarian
F B
FB
Jewers
R J
RJ
Kell
B
B
Bible
J
J
Raju
K S
KS
Best
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D005914:Globins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology
D005914:Globins