Viral studies on amniotic fluid from fetuses with and without abnormalities detected by prenatal sonography.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of viruses (cytomegalovirus [CMV] adenoviruses and enteroviruses) in amniotic fluid samples from fetuses with and without anomalies detected by prenatal sonography.


METHODS
Fluid samples obtained aseptically from 474 women undergoing genetic amniocentesis at our institutions from 1995 to 1996 were stored at -20 degrees C. Fetal anomalies (renal, central nervous system, gastrointestinal and cardiac) were detected by ultrasound in 162 of the fetuses. At a later date, the samples were retrieved, blinded, and tested by virus isolation techniques for CMV, adenoviruses and enteroviruses. Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The prevalence of viral isolation in amniotic fluid samples in fetuses with anomalies was 2.5% for CMV, 1.3% for adenovirus and 1.2% for enterovirus. Structurally normal fetuses had prevalences of 0.3%, 0% and 0%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of viruses, especially CMV, appears to be higher in amniotic fluid from fetuses with sonographically detected anomalies.
Petrikovsky
Boris M
BM
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, USA. ddonofri@numc.edu
Lipson
Steven M
SM
Kaplan
Mark H
MH
D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000379:methods; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal