[Vertical transmission of alpha herpes virus].
Alpha herpes viruses which infect human being are Herpes simplex virus(HSV) and Varicella zoster virus(VZV). Both are known to infect fetus or neonate when their mothers are infected by these viruses. However, the pathogenesis of these two is quite different; HSV infection is usually limited to local area while VZV infect systemically. Intrauterine infection of HSV occurs very rarely whereas that of VZV at the rate of as much as 2.0% when mothers are infected during 13-20 weeks of gestation. Half of newborns are infected by HSV when their mothers are primarily infected around the delivery. About 30% of these infected babies are mortal. Neonatal varicella, caused by transplacentally transmitted VZV, sometimes results in serious prognosis especially when maternal varicella has an onset between 5 days before and 2 days after delivery.
Kawana
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Teikyo University Mizonokuchi Hospital.
D002644:Chickenpox / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy