[Human parvovirus B19 infection in perinatal transmission and abnormal fetuses].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the perinatal infection of human parvovirus B19 in pregnant women and their fetuses.

METHODS

350 sera of normal pregnant women and 9 sera of abnormal fetuses were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to check the parvovirus B19 DNA.

RESULTS

The prevalence of parvovirus B19 DNA was 1.14% and 0.28% in the sera of normal pregnant women and umbilical cords, respectively. Parvovirus B19 DNA was detected in 6 sera of pregnant women and umbilical cords from 9 abnormal fetuses parvovirus DNA could be detected by in situ hybridization in the nuclei of immature hematopoetic cells within fetal brain or spleen whose PCR tests were positive.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that parvovirus B19 infection do exist in pregnant women and their neonates as well as fetuses in our country. PCR and in situ hybridization could provide more sensitive, more accurate and specific methods for clinical pathologic diagnosis and epidemic investigation.