CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION IN PRIMIPAROUS PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR NEONATES

Abstract- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection in humans. In various parts of the world the prevalence of antibodies to CMV ranges from 40-100%. The prevalence of primary infection with CMV in pregnant Iranian women and risk of congenital CMV infection in their neonates are unknown. To determine the prevalence of CMV infection in primipar-ous pregnant (younger) women and incidence rate of congenital CMV infection among preterm and full-term infants borned from these women, in serum of 164 primigravid women before delivery, CMV IgG and IgM antibodies were measured by ELISA method and CMV-DNA detection by PCR in ~10 % of their infants. 100 % of women were immune to CMV infection (CMV-IgG posit-ives). No acute infection (CMV-IgM positive) were detec-ted in mothers and newborns. Therefore, we can not com-pare gestational age and weight of infants in seropositive and seronegative mothers. Probably, in Iranian pregnant women, CMV screening test is not recommended