Egyptian mother-to-fetus transmission of parvovirus B-19 in the first trimester abortions

Parvovirus B-19 infection is a common mild illness in adulthood and usually subclinical in childhood. Serious illness can be caused by this virus in certain circumstances. When a pregnant female contracts parvovirus B-19 complications may affect the fetus and/or the newly born. A study of 240 parturient mothers was carried out to assess the possible role of this virus in abortion. Detection of virus-DNA in fetal tissues by PCR confirmed mother-fetus transmission

Waterborne viruses associated with repeated abortion

In this study we tried to find the role of some waterborne viruses in repeated abortion of women. The study includes maternal blood serum and fetal tissue. The serum of full term delivered women was taken as a control. All collected samples were inoculated on BGM and Hep2G cells to detect entero and Hepatitis E viruses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was also carried out for IgM and IgG antibodies against HEV in all serum samples. HEV-Ag was determined by dot-ELISA, which used also for enterovirus typing. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used for detection of entero and HE virus RNAs in the collected serum samples. To follow up the source of virus transmission, the wastewater treatment plant which serves the area of samples population was studied at the intake and the final effluent for the presence of hepatitis E virus and enteroviruses with special reference to coxsackieviruses. Wastewater samples were collected for 1 year and for enterovirus concentration the adsorption-elution on nitrocellulose membrane was used and for HEV, two methods of virus concentration were used, urea arginine phosphate buffer [U-APB] and PEG 8000.The results of HEV investigation of aborted women sera was 22% for IgG, 3% for IgM, 20% HEV-Ag, and 16% of HEV-RNA by RT-PCR. For fetal tissue, HEV-Ag was detected in 5% of the collected samples. The detected enteroviruses were coxsackieviruses types 2, 3,4and 5 in all serum samples and wastewater samples. The results showed also, that virus concentration by U-APB is much better than PEG-8000 but not highly efficient

Evidence of a 1985-1987 outbreak of acute and chronic hepatitis in Egypt caused by a mutant hepatitis-B virus detected by spot-DNA hybridization test

Sera from 65 acute and 113 chronic sporadic hepatitis were screened for serological markers of hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis delta virus [HDV] and for HBV-DNA. The enzyme linked immune sorbent assay [ELISA] and dot-DNA hybridization tests were used. Two HBV-DNA probes and their labelling systems [biotin, radiolabelling with [32P] and digoxigenin] were compared for sensitivity and specificity. The 65 acute sera had serological parameters of HBV infection in 38 [58%] when all these sera were HBsAg, IgM anti HBcAg positive plus HBeAg presence in 11/38 sera. Some of the acute sera had markers of acute HBV and HDV Co-infection in 14 and superinfection in 13. Thus HBV with HDV represented 27 [41.5%] of the acute hepatitis in this study. Correlation of these serological markers with dot-DNA hybridization results showed that serum HBV-DNA was present in 36/38 [94.7%] of the acute HBV infection. In the case of acute HBV + HDV positive antigenoemia 4/6 had serum HBV-DNA while 10/21 of acute HBV with antidelta V. IgM had serum HBV-DNA. There were four cases that gave HBV-DNA positivity in sera without combination of HBV markers suggesting infection with [mutant] HBV. In the chronic hepatitis sera there were markers of HBV past infection [IgG anti HBc in 63/113 and IgG anti HBs in 36/113]. Yet, among these sera there was HBV-DNA positive signals [20/63 and 17/36] respectively. Analysis of some of these HBV markers also suggested infection with [mutant] HBV