A 25-year old primigravida at 11-weeks period of amenorrhoea presented with bilateral optic neuritis following Varicella Zoster viral (VZV) infection. She was serologically positive for systemic lupus erythematosus but negative for virus. The exact pathogenesis of the patient's severe optic neuritis, adduction and neurological deficit was unknown. The initiation of high dose steroids for optic neuritis was a big clinical dilemma in a pregnant patient with viral infection. The patient was treated with high dose steroids after three days of commencement of antiviral treatment. At 6 months after presentation, her visual acuity in the right eye was 6/36 with perception to light in the left.
*Herpes Zoster ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications ; Optic Neuritis/*virology ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*virology

OBJECTIVESTo analyze the relationship between the fetus infection and HBV M, HBV DNA in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, maternal blood and placenta, and to explore the mechanism of vertical transmission of HBV.

METHODSImmunonetric assay and nucleic acid amplification hybri-comb were used. Both HBV M and HBV DNA were detected in amniotic fluid, vein blood, umbilical cord blood for each of 65 HBV-positive women in their different gestational periods, while immunohistochemical analysis was carried out on the tissue of placenta, liver, lung or heart from each abortive fetus/dead infant in the case.

RESULTSFor all of the 65 HBsAg-positive women in their different gestational periods, the detected positive rate of HBsAg was 21.50% in amniotic fluid, and 20.00% in umbilical blood. The positive rate of HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBc and HBV DNA detected in blood, amniotic fluid and umbilical blood was 6.15%. The cases with positive HBsAg, Anti-HBe, Anti-HBc and negative HBV DNA were in a percentage of 13.85%. Immunohistochemical analysis on placentas after birth/abortion as well as the tissues of livers, lungs, hearts of the fetuses/dead infants in 4 cases of pregnant women with positive HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBc or HBV DNA in blood, amniotic fluid or umbilical blood showed that HBsAg, HBcAg positive cells in the scope could be seen in every layer of the tissue of placenta, in the hepatic/pulmonary tissue, but not in the cardiac tissue.

CONCLUSIONThe infection in amniotic fluid or placenta relates to HBV infection in fetus; intrauterine HBV may result in infection in organs such as blood, liver, or lung of a fetus; infection in the amniotic fluid may be another key route of the intrauterine infection of fetus, and the detection on HBV M or HBV DNA in amniotic may be used as one of diagnostic proofs of HBV infection of fetus in its early stage.

Adult ; Amniotic Fluid ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; diagnosis ; transmission ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Placenta ; virology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the safety testing evaluation index of breast-feeding by hepatitis B-positive mothers.

METHODSHBV DNA from serum and breast milk of 252 hepatitis B-positive mothers were detected with the real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTSThe total positive rate of HBV DNA in serum had no difference with that in breast milk in hepatitis B-positive mothers (P > 0.05). The positive rate of HBV DNA in serum and breast milk of positive HBeAg were significantly higher than that of hepatitis B-positive mothers with negative HBeAg (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTo detecte HBeAg and HBV DNA in serum and breast milk have important significance for guiding of breast feeding of hepatitis B-positive mothers.

Adult ; Breast Feeding ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; analysis ; Humans ; Milk, Human ; virology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; virology

It has been reported that women of childbearing age constitute a large percentage of the new cases of HIV/AIDS infection. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find pregnant women who are HIV positive. Because of the increased prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women, many anesthesiologists encounter these patients in their practices. Infection with HIV in pregnancy often raises questions about the safety of regional anesthesia in these patients. This controversy first began when it was suggested that the introduction of a spinal needle in an HIV-infected parturient would spread the disease into the CNS, leading to the development of neurological sequelae of this disease. Nevertheless, recent analysis of the problem has shown HIV infection should not contraindicate regional anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Obstetrical/*methods ; Anti-HIV Agents/*therapeutic use ; Female ; HIV Infections/*drug therapy ; Human ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*virology

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; drug therapy ; virology

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; drug therapy ; virology

A new nested-polymerase chain reaction (nested-PCR) assay was developed to detect human parvovirus B19 DNA corresponding to the nonstructural protein in clinical specimens in a routine diagnostic laboratory. The sensitivity of this highly specific assay was up to 0.005 fg of B19 DNA. Parvovirus B19 was identified in sera of 20 pregnant women with abnormal pregnant outcome. Among these 20 cases, intrauterine parvovirus infection did exist in 7 pregnant women because parvovirus B19 DNA was detected in the pregnant tissues of them such as placenta tissues, chorionic villi, amniotic fluid, fetal spleen, liver and abdominal fluids.
DNA, Viral/*analysis ; Parvoviridae Infections/*virology ; Parvovirus B19, Human/genetics ; Parvovirus B19, Human/*isolation & purification ; Placenta/virology ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*virology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*analysis

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetus ; virology ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; transmission ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; blood ; virology

PURPOSE: This study determined the seroprevalence of herpes virus 2 in gravidas and the differences between herpes virus 2-infected and healthy gravidas. The need to screen gravidas for herpes virus 2 was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis involving 500 gravidas who underwent herpes virus 2 serologic testing and delivery in our hospital between January 2009 and August 2010 was performed. All patients in the study group were classified as herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2) positive, and all cases were analyzed with respect to the clinical course of the pregnancy, pregnancy outcome, obstetric complications, and neonatal outcomes. SPSS software (version 14.0) was used for statistical analysis. A chi-square test and Student's t-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In the current study, the herpes virus 2 seroprevalence rate in gravidas was 17%. There was no significant difference in the rates of preterm delivery, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction between the herpes virus 2-infected gravidas and the healthy control group. The rates of spontaneous abortion and sexually transmitted disease were higher in the herpes virus 2 infection group than the healthy control group. CONCLUSION: After educating gravidas on genital herpes and, if gravidas thereafter consent to herpes virus 2 screening, the risk of neonatal herpes virus 2 infections can be reduced. In addition, examination of gravidas for sexually transmitted diseases would increase as would appropriate treatment.
Adult ; Female ; Herpes Genitalis/*diagnosis/epidemiology/virology ; Herpes Simplex ; Herpesvirus 2, Human/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis/epidemiology/virology ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical value of examination of cervical HPV infection in women in early pregnancy and postpartum.

METHODSUsing flow-through hybridization and gene chip techniques, we examined 3 806 cervical specimens of pregnant and postpartum women of different ages with different cervical diseases. The women were grouped into different age groups by every 5 years for HPV DNA genotyping of the specimens, with another 4080 women without pregnancy serving as the control.

RESULTSOf the total of 7886 specimens, high-risk HPV infection was detected a the rate of 12.5%. In pregnancy, postpartum and nonpregnancy, the infection rate was 14.3%,, 10.5%, and 11.7%, respectively. In the 4 age groups, the infection rate was 16.9%, 12.1%, 13.8%, and 22.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe high-risk HPV infection rate in pregnancy differs significantly from that in nonpregnancy and postpartum. The infection rate also differs with age during pregnancy and postpartum. Examination of HPV infection during pregnancy is safe and feasible.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; Papillomavirus Infections ; virology ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; virology ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult