title: Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus antibodies amongst normal pregnant women in Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a ubiquitous virus belonging to the herpes family, is known to be transmitted frequently to developing fetuses in pregnancy. In an immunocompromised state like pregnancy, primary infection through blood transfusion or reactivation of a latent CMV infection can cause severe illness. The study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to cytomegalovirus amongst pregnant women in correlation with previous exposure to blood transfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was carried out amongst 179 HIV negative pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Nigeria. Five mL of blood was collected and stored in a plain bottle, centrifuged on the same day and the serum stored at -20°C. All samples were screened for anti-CMV IgG antibodies using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Consenting participants were instructed to fill a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain demographic and other related information. Statistical analysis of the results was done using Pearson's chi squared test for analytical assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 97.2% of the pregnant women recruited for this study were anti-CMV IgG positive. Out of the 179 recruited for the study 174 responded to the question on previous history of blood transfusion, 14.9% of the respondents (26 of 174) had a previous history of blood transfusion and all tested positive to the anti-CMVIgG antibody. However, past history of blood transfusion and educational level were found to be insignificant to the risk of acquiring CMV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The seroprevalence of the CMV antibody amongst pregnant women in this environment is high in relation to findings in other developing countries. There is the need to assess anti-CMV immunoglobulin M antibodies in pregnant women, which is a determinant of active infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos State University, Ikeja.
authors.forename: Akinsegun Abduljaleel
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akinbami
authors.forename: Kabiru Afolarin
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rabiu
authors.forename: Adeniyi Abiodun
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adewunmi
authors.forename: Kikelomo Ololade
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Adedoyin Owolabi
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Dosunmu
authors.forename: Titilope Adenike
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.forename: Adewumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adediran
authors.forename: Vincent Oluseye
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Osunkalu