title: Occurrence of chickenpox during pregnancy in women seropositive for varicella-zoster virus.
abstract: In a group of 21 women counseled after exposure to chickenpox during pregnancy, 4 developed varicella despite initial studies showing that preinfection sera were varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-seropositive by fluorescent anti-membrane antibody, latex agglutination, ELISA, and VZV glycoprotein immunoblot assay. Further investigations showed that 2 of the 4 had low-titer (1/100), low-avidity, VZV-reactive IgG3 antibodies by ELISAs of preinfection sera. After chickenpox, these women developed primary-like serologic responses to VZV. Two women with high-titer (1/1600, 1/3200), high-avidity, IgG1 antibodies showed anamnestic serologic responses after reinfection. The criteria of protective VZV immunity remain ill-defined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Junker
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Van Allen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M