Urinary virus excretion in pregnancy.

In a series of 774 women with pregnancies ranging from 7 weeks to term, virus particles representing five different groups have been detected in urine specimens by negative staining electron microscopy. Of the virus-positive women, 0,39% excreted papillomavirus (in the absence of genital warts), 3,1% polyomavirus, 0,26% adenovirus type II, 0,65% an antibody-coated unidentified virus particle and 7,7% a membrane-associated virus-like particle. The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of the apparently increased susceptibility of pregnant women to virus infection.