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Human herpesvirus‐8 infection in pregnancy and labor: Lack of evidence of vertical transmission
Author(s) -
Sarmati Loredana,
Carlo Ticconi,
Rossella Santangelo,
Montano Marco,
Adalgisa Pietropolli,
Rezza Giovanni,
Andreoni Massimo
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.20012
Subject(s) - amniotic fluid , cord blood , amniocentesis , obstetrics , medicine , pregnancy , population , obstetrics and gynaecology , antibody , polymerase chain reaction , gestation , virology , andrology , immunology , gynecology , prenatal diagnosis , biology , fetus , genetics , environmental health , gene
To investigate whether vertical transmission of the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) may occur during pregnancy or at delivery, we enrolled 295 women recruited attending the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a University Teaching of Rome Tor Vergata, S. Eugenio Hospital. The study population was divided in two groups: 245 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis for genetic screening at 16–18 weeks gestation (group 1) and 50 women at the childbirth (group 2). Maternal blood was obtained from all women. Amniotic fluid (group 1) and cord blood (group 2) were obtained at midtrimester and at delivery, respectively. The presence of anti‐HHV‐8 antibodies in serum samples was investigated by an immunfluorescence assay. All amniotic fluids, maternal blood, and cord blood samples from HHV‐8 seropositive women were tested for the presence of HHV‐8 DNA sequences by the polymerase chain reaction. Thirty women, 27 of the group 1 and three of the group 2, were found to have anti‐HHV‐8 antibodies. Two neonates of the three seropositive mothers of the group 2 had anti‐HHV‐8 antibodies in cord blood. HHV‐8 DNA sequences were detected in the blood of one woman of the group 2. None of the amniotic fluid and cord blood samples had detectable HHV‐8 DNA sequences. This study suggests that vertical transmission of HHV‐8 is unlikely or, at least, very rare. J. Med. Virol. 72:462–466, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.