Human cytomegalovirus reinfection is associated with intrauterine transmission in a highly cytomegalovirus-immune maternal population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine contribution of reinfection with new strains of cytomegalovirus in cytomegalovirus seromimmune women to incidence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection.


METHODS
In 7848 women studied prospectively for congenital cytomegalovirus infection from a population with near universal cytomegalovirus seroimmunity, sera from 40 mothers of congenitally infected infants and 109 mothers of uninfected newborns were analyzed for strain-specific anticytomegalovirus antibodies.


RESULTS
All women were cytomegalovirus seroimmune at first prenatal visit. Reactivity for 2 cytomegalovirus strains was found in 14 of 40 study mothers and in 17 of 109 control mothers at first prenatal visit (P = .009). Seven of 40 (17.5%) study women and 5 of 109 (4.6%) controls (P = .002) acquired antibodies reactive with new cytomegalovirus strains during pregnancy. Evidence of infection with more than 1 strain of cytomegalovirus before or during current pregnancy occurred in 21 of 40 study mothers and 22 of 109 controls (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal reinfection by new strains of cytomegalovirus is a major source of congenital infection in this population.
Yamamoto
Aparecida Yulie
AY
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mussi-Pinhata
Marisa Marcia
MM
Boppana
Suresh B
SB
Novak
Zdenek
Z
Wagatsuma
Virginia M
VM
Oliveira
Patricia de Frizzo
Pde F
Duarte
Geraldo
G
Britt
William J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G