Seroprevalence, transmission, and associated factors of specific antibodies against cytomegalovirus among pregnant women and their infants in a regional study

OBJECTIVE: To assess specific anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies, clinical status, and demographic data in pregnant women and their infants in northeast Iran.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 225 systematic randomly selected-pregnant women and their newborns attending public hospitals in Mashhad, Iran between December 2007 and January 2008. Two specialists performed clinical assessment and obtained the demographic data. The sera from mothers and the umbilical cord of infants were then collected at the time of delivery and anti-CMV antibodies, IgG, and IgM, were measured.

RESULTS: Although, all mothers and their neonates were positive for anti-CMV IgG (100%), only 6 were positive for anti-CMV specific IgM (2.6%), and their infants were negative. However, in one infant the clinical features of CMV infection were observed by radiological evaluation (CT scan) (0.4%). There was no correlation between anti-CMV IgG in neonates and number of parity, history of abortion, mothers’ and neonates’ blood groups, gestational age, and economical status. However, the concentration of anti-CMV IgG in neonates with normal delivery was significantly lower than with cesarean delivery (p=0.03), and in girls compared with boys (p=0.04).

CONCLUSION: Anti-CMV IgG transmission to neonates is associated with gender and type of delivery. Despite anti-CMV IgM showing active CMV infection in mothers, virus transmission to the fetus might not occur.