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Hirschsprung's disease: a viral etiology?
P K Tam1, W G Quint, D van Velzen
1Nuffield Department of Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Pediatric Pathology
|November 1, 1992
Summary
Antenatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may be a cause of Hirschsprung
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital condition characterized by rectal aganglionosis.
- The precise etiology of HD remains incompletely understood, with multiple factors suspected.
- Antenatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common congenital infection with diverse potential sequelae.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential etiological link between antenatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and Hirschsprung's disease (HD).
- To determine the prevalence of CMV genomes in bowel specimens from HD patients and control infants.
Main Methods:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect CMV genomes.
- Bowel tissue specimens were analyzed from 72 HD patients, 144 control infants with Hirschsprung-like symptoms, and 36 control infants without gastrointestinal issues.
Main Results:
- CMV genomes were detected in 6 out of 72 Hirschsprung's disease patients (8.8%).
- No CMV genomes were found in any of the control infant groups.
- This suggests a statistically significant association between CMV and HD.
Conclusions:
- Antenatal cytomegalovirus infection may represent a contributing etiological factor in the development of Hirschsprung's disease.
- Given that CMV infection is preventable, this finding has potential implications for HD prevention strategies.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms linking CMV to HD pathogenesis.