High susceptibility to cytomegalovirus infection of pregnant women in Flanders, Belgium

Facts Views Vis ObGyn 2012;4(2):76-81

1. Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1a, 2610 Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium

2. Department of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp

3. Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan 1, 3590 Diepenbeek & CHERMID, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp

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Abstract

Maternal antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection offer, to some extent, protection against congenital CMV infection. This study describes the seroprevalence of CMV-specific IgG in 220 parturient women during pregnancy, at delivery, at 3 months after delivery and in their cord blood (Flanders, Belgium, 2006-2008). ELISA was used to measure IgG. Of this population, 30% had positive IgG titres. Active transplacental transport was confirmed with a ratio 1.15/1. Elevated maternal IgG titre and increased parity, but not age, were significantly associated with higher seropreva- lence of CMV-specific IgG in the cord blood.

These data indicate a high susceptibility to CMV among fertile women. Prenatal prevention and other strategies to prevent intra-uterine infection are of critical importance in a highly susceptible population.

Keywords:

Cord blood, cytomegalovirus, maternal antibodies, pregnancy, seroprevalence, transplacental transport