title: Possible role of bacterial and viral infections in miscarriages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of infections in miscarriages. Chorionic villi from aborted material were subjected to cytogenetic evaluation and analyzed for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), adeno-associated virus (AAV), and human papillomaviruses (HPV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital and academic research institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Karyotyping and detection of bacterial and viral DNA by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in placenta specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 54 (50%) of 108 samples the karyotype was normal, in 38 (35%) samples it was abnormal, and in 16 (15%) samples karyotype was undetermined. No U. urealyticum, M. hominis, HCMV, or AAV-2 DNA was detected, while C. trachomatis DNA was detected in one (1%) and HPV DNA in eight (7%) samples. No significant correlation of HPV-positive findings with karyotype status was established.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings do not support a role of C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum, M. hominis, HCMV, or AAV infections in miscarriages during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, further investigation should be made to determine a possible involvement of HPVs in the development of genetic abnormalities of the fetus and in miscarriages.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matovina
authors.forename: Koraljka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Husnjak
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milutin
authors.forename: Srecko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciglar
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grce
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral