Rapid diagnosis of asymptomatic recurrences of genital HSV during pregnancy

Samples were obtained from the endocervix and the major and minor labia of 154 full-term pregnant women with past history of suspected genital herpes. Cells obtained from the cervical and vulval swabs were stained with fluorescein isothiocynate [FITC]- labeled monoclonal antibody to HSV types 1 and 2 and examined at x250 with a fluorescence microscope. Two women [1.30%] had asymptomatic herpes virus shedding, one [0.65%] with simultaneous cervical and vulval shedding and the other [0.65%] with asymptomatic shedding from the external genitals only, the 2 viral isolates were identified and typed as HSV -2

Unexplained or idiopathic infertility: a possible role of some immune mechanisms

Fourty one patients with unexplained or idiopathic infertility were chosen from a total of 294 women with primary infertility. A complete medical history, a thorough physical examination and a full investigation of reproductive function were done. A control group consisting of 40 women of proven fertility were included in the study. Determination of circulating immune complexes [CICs] and sperm-agglutinating antibodies [SAA] in the sera of patients and controls were performed. The results of the study showed that the CICs were positive in 16 [39%] of 41 infertile women while none of the fertile women had positive test result, furthermore the duration of infertility was positively correlated with the CICs level in the sera of patients with unexplained or idiopathic infertility. Of the 41 infertile women 18 [43.9%] were positive for SAA, whereas only 6 [15%] of the 40 fertile women were positive [a statistically significant difference], also presence of SAA was positively correlated with the duration of infertility. There was a positive correlation between the presence of CICs and SAA in the sera of women with unexplained or idiopathic infertility of 3 years duration or more, of the 18 infertile women with positive SAA, 10 women had positive CICs