Vertical transmission of HIV-1 in mid-trimester gestation.
Between July, 1994 and March, 1995, 23 heart blood samples from fresh abortuses of HIV-1 seropositive pregnant women after elective termination of pregnancy between 18 and 25 weeks of gestation by prostaglandin E1 analogue vaginal administration were examined for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of HIV-1 genome and p24 antigen to investigate the transplacental transfer of HIV-1 infection. All samples of fetal heart blood were positive for HIV-1 antibody (ELISA), but negative for PCR and HIV-1 p24 antigen assay. These negative results could be due to the lack of the virus in the peripheral blood or to a viral load low enough to be undetectable by PCR method at mid-trimester gestation and suggest that HIV-1 vertical transmission occurs mostly during the last trimester of pregnancy and/or at delivery.
Phuapradit
W
W
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Chaturachinda
K
K
Taneepanichskul
S
S
Khupulsup
K
K
Raksakait
K
K
Kunakorn
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015215:Zidovudine