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Cytomegalovirus-specific cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy in lower socioeconomic class adolescents
The role of maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cellular immunity in gestational CMV excretion and transmission of congenital infection was assessed by studying CMV-specific mononuclear proliferation (CMV-MP) longitudinally during pregnancy in 59 lower socioeconomic class adolescents. CMV-MP was absent in mothers seropositive for CMV on more than 40% of occasions tested, but no significant difference was noted at any time in frequency or degree of CMP-MP between the 16 mothers who shed virus and the 29 who were seropositive for CMV but did not shed virus. The presence of CMV-MP did not preclude gestational CMV excretion. The lone mother who bore a congenitally infected infant lacked CMV-MP on all three occasions when she shed virus. CMV-MP was noted in cord blood from 14 uninfected infants of seropositive mothers. Maternal CMV-specific cellular immunity is not the major determinant of gestational CMV excretion, but the extent of its role in modulating transmission of congenital infection is yet unclear.
The role of maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cellular immunity in gestational CMV excretion and transmission of congenital infection was assessed by studying CMV-specific mononuclear proliferation (CMV-MP) longitudinally during pregnancy in 59 lower socioeconomic class adolescents. CMV-MP was absent in mothers seropositive for CMV on more than 40% of occasions tested, but no significant difference was noted at any time in frequency or degree of CMP-MP between the 16 mothers who shed virus and the 29 who were seropositive for CMV but did not shed virus. The presence of CMV-MP did not preclude gestational CMV excretion. The lone mother who bore a congenitally infected infant lacked CMV-MP on all three occasions when she shed virus. CMV-MP was noted in cord blood from 14 uninfected infants of seropositive mothers. Maternal CMV-specific cellular immunity is not the major determinant of gestational CMV excretion, but the extent of its role in modulating transmission of congenital infection is yet unclear.