[Incidence of intrauterine infections caused by respiratory viruses and Myc. pneumoniae and the role of serological studies in their diagnosis].

Examinations involved 40 stillborns and infants of up to 3 days of age using light and immunofluorescent (IF) microscopy, and the results obtained were compared with the data of clinical observations and serological examinations of the blood of infants and their mothers. The diagnostic titer of antibody determined by complement fixation and hemagglutination-inhibition tests was higher to respiratory viruses (1--4 in each baby) in 72.5% of babies and to M. pneumoniae in 17.5%. At a high antibody titer indicating a considerable duration of the disease, the results of IF studies were usually negative and the structural changes typical for individual infections of this group were insignificant or absent. This agrees with the results of previous studies of postnatally developing viral infections. At low antibody titres, in a number of cases the results of IF studies were positive and there were structural changes indicating a recent development of the disease. The possibility of antibody formation in fetuses was confirmed by selective studies of globulins in influenza A which proved to be M-globulins.