Reactivation of Polyomavirus hominis 1 (BKV) during pregnancy and the risk of mother-to-child transmission.
BACKGROUND
Pregnancy is associated with down-regulation of immune responses of the mother. This might lead to reactivation and vertical transmission of latent viral infections such as BK virus (BKV).


OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence of BKV in the urine of pregnant women and in cord blood at delivery.


METHODS
We examined urines from 52 pregnant women and 51 cord blood samples for BKV by real-time SYBR green PCR.


RESULTS
BKV DNA was found in the urine of 18 (34.6%) pregnant women. No BKV DNA was detected by SYBR green PCR in the cord blood specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
BKV reactivation is common during pregnancy but this is not associated with BKV in cord blood.
Kalvatchev
Zlatko
Z
Laboratory of Molecular Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Stoletov Blvd. 44-A, Sofia 1233, Bulgaria. kalvatchev@gmail.com
Slavov
Svetoslav
S
Shtereva
Milkana
M
Savova
Silvia
S
D000328:Adult; D001739:BK Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology; D014775:Virus Activation
D004279:DNA, Viral