Seroprevalence and risk factors for cytomegalovirus infection among pregnant women in southern Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: Vertically transmitted cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of preventable congenital infection, including deafness and intellectual impairment worldwide. Till date, there is no consensus on routine antenatal screening worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of previous and primary CMV infection among antenatal women at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the effect of age, socioeconomic class, parity and gestational age on prevalence. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, blood samples were collected from each of 200 consecutive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the university. Samples were analyzed for CMV specific IgG and IgM using ELISA test kits. A semi-structured researcher administered questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic information which included; age, socioeconomic class, parity and gestational age. Results: Seroprevalence of CMV- specific IgG and IgM were 92% and 4% respectively, while 4% were seronegative. There was no significant association between seroprevalence and any of the risk factors (p>0.05). Conclusion: There is need for voluntary screening of pregnant women as part of antenatal care to detect primary and seronegative susceptible women.

Keywords

• Cytomegalovirus, seroprevalence, pregnancy, Nigeria

Seroprevalence and risk factors for cytomegalovirus infection among pregnant women in southern Nigeria

Öz

Amaç: Sağırlık ve zekâ geriliğine de yol açan vertikal cytomegalovirus (CMV) enfeksiyonu dünya’da önlenebilir konjenital enfeksiyonlarının en sık sebebidir. Halen dünya’da rutin antenatal tarama konusunda bir fikir birliği yoktur. Bu çalışmanın amacı Benin Üniversitesi Hastanesi’nde hamile kadınlar arasında doğum öncesi dönemde geçirilen primer CMV enfeksiyon prevalansını ve yaş, sosyoekonomik sınıf, doğum sayısı ve doğum yaşının prevalans üzerine olan etkisinin araştırmaktır.Yöntemler: Bu tanımlayıcı kesitsel çalışmada üniversite hastanesinin doğum öncesi kliniğinde takip edilen ardışık 200 hamile kadının her birinden kan örneği alındı. Örnekler özgül CMV IgG ve IgM varlığı açısından ELISA test kitleriyle analiz edildi. Araştırmada ayrıca hamile kadınlara yaş, sosyoekonomik sınıf, doğum sayısı ve doğum yaşı hakkında bilgi elde edilmesi amacıyla yarı-yapılandırılmış bir anket uygulandı. Bulgular: Özgül CMV IgG ve IgM seroprevalansı sırasıyla % 92 ve % 4 olarak bulundu. Kadınların %4’ü seronegatif idi. Seroprevalans ve CMV enfeksiyonu riskleri arasında istatistiksel olarak önemli bir bağlantı bulunamadı (p >0,05).Sonuç: Antenatal dönemde primer CMV enfeksiyonu ve seronegatif olup enfeksiyona duyarlı hamilelerin taranması bu bölgede isteğe bağlıdır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Cytomegalovirus, seroprevalans, hamilelik, Nijerya

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