Prenatal diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection by detection of immunoglobulin M antibodies to the 70-kd heat shock protein in fetal serum.
OBJECTIVE
Antibodies to the 70-kd heat shock protein were evaluated as biomarkers for cytomegalovirus infection.


METHODS
Fetal sera that was obtained by cordocentesis at 22 to 25 weeks of gestation from 53 mothers with a confirmed primary cytomegalovirus infection and 28 mothers (control group) without cytomegalovirus infection who had been screened for Rh incompatibility, were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin M and G anti-70-kd heat shock protein antibodies.


RESULTS
Eighteen of 53 fetuses (34.0%) from cytomegalovirus-positive mothers were infected, which was determined by culture or polymerase chain reaction. Anti-70-kd heat shock protein immunoglobulin M was detected in 17 of 18 sera (94.4%) from cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses, in 3 of 35 sera (8.6%) from uninfected fetuses, and in 0 of 28 sera from the control group (P <.0001). The level of antibody reactivity was correlated positively with fetal disease. Anti-70-kd heat shock protein immunoglobulin G was detected in sera from 52 of 53 fetuses (98.1%) from cytomegalovirus-infected mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
The anti-70-kd heat shock protein immunoglobulin M assay may be of value in the assessment of fetal cytomegalovirus infection in pregnant women with a primary cytomegalovirus infection.
Gerber
Stefan
S
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 515 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Vial
Yvan
Y
Hohlfeld
Patrick
P
Witkin
Steven S
SS
D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M