Lymphocyte responses and virus excretion as risk factors for intrauterine infection with cytomegalovirus.
Serological screening of pregnant women in this and a previous study identified 28 cases of primary infection with cytomegalovirus, 7 (25%) of whom transmitted the infection to their fetuses. Risk factors for intrauterine infection were: 1) age less than 20 years, 2) Caucasian rather than non-Caucasian race, 3) a weak response to cytomegalovirus antigen in the lymphocyte transformation test, and 4) the excretion of cytomegalovirus in the urine. The greatest risk was when a weak lymphoproliferative response was detected in combination with a positive result for virus isolation, in which case the chance of fetal infection was 83%. Despite these associations, there was one important anomalous result of a woman who demonstrated a strong lymphocyte response during pregnancy and a negative result for virus isolation, but who gave birth to an infected baby who developed unilateral hearing loss.
Fernando
S
S
Department of Medical Microbiology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, England.
Pearce
J M
JM
Booth
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology