Maternal and neonatal anti-cytomegalovirus IgG level and risk of postnatal cytomegalovirus transmission in preterm infants

Immunological mechanisms influencing the risk of mother-to-child cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in preterm infants have not been studied sufficiently. In this study, the correlation between maternal and neonatal serum anti-CMV IgG levels and risk of postnatal CMV transmission in preterm infants was assessed. Anti-CMV IgG levels of 79 CMV seropositive mothers and their 94 infants were determined in peripheral blood samples collected within 3 days after delivery. Postnatal CMV infection was detected in 39/94 (41%) infants by PCR on urine at term-equivalent age (gestational age 40 weeks) after congenital infection was excluded. Maternal or infant anti-CMV IgG levels were not significantly different between infants with and without postnatal CMV infection. The anti-CMV IgG infantmother ratio showed a significant positive correlation with gestational age (range 2532 weeks, R2=0.218, P<0.001), reaching 1.0 at 32 weeks of gestation. Anti-CMV IgG infantmother ratio was significantly lower in infants with postnatal CMV infection (P=0.015). In conclusion, the risk of postnatal CMV transmission is related to low gestational age and low anti-CMV IgG infantmother ratio. J. Med. Virol. 85:689695, 2013. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.