[The placenta in herpes]

Forty placentas from patients affected with herpes simplex viruses of type I and II were studied by means of light and immunofluorescent microscopy, morphometry and serological investigation of fetal (infant) and mother's blood. Various morphological alterations in placenta were established. Some of them were specific and resulted from the effect of herpes virus on the cells (amniocytes, syncytiotrophoblast, decidual cells, vascular endothelium). The affected cells increased in size, herpes antigen was detected in their hyperchronic nuclei. Apart from this, in all placentas as well as in their vessels, moderate inflammatory response was observed. When antenatal death occurred, poor vascularization of villi was observed and specific alterations were most pronounced. When death occurred antenatally, alterations produced by herpes were rather moderate and acute alterations of placenta circulation predominated. In children born in a good condition, both specific and nonspecific alterations were insignificant and villi vascularization was good.