[The pathogenesis of intrauterine infections].

The placenta is a specific organ of extracorporeal immunity. It has a tissue-blood barrier that protects a developing fetus against infectious agents. Owing to this, placental infection is not fatal to a fetus and always falls far short of intrauterine infection. Fetal inflammatory diseases occur in immune defects and placental morphological barrier damages.

[Chronic course of influenza with extrapulmonary involvement]. / O khronicheskom techenii grippa s vnelegochnymi porazheniiami.

Results of the investigation of 265 placentas and 387 necropsies with the use of a wide spectrum of morphological, immunological and virological methods are presented. The existence of extrapulmonary damages, those of placenta (50 observations) and brain (17 observations), is shown. The variants of the influenza infection (persisting, chronic and manifesting) are discussed. The possibilities of a long-term survival of the infectious agent in the long-living brain and placental structures are considered. The proofs are presented showing the secretion by these organs of local factors of non-specific defense such as interferon.

[Infectious placentitis and characterization of the placenta as an immune barrier]. / Infektsionnye platsentity, osobennosti platsenty kak immunnogo bar'era.

Analysis of publications dealing with infectious pathology of placenta is performed. Placentitis of different etiology and different routes of contamination have specific features. The incidence of viral and mycoplasma etiology with intracellular multiplication of the agent is considerably higher than of bacterial or other placentitis with extracellular multiplication. The incidence of placentitis is considerably higher than that of intrauterine infection. Placenta is an organ of immune protection of the organism and is capable to produce both specific and non-specific immunity factors.

[Combined viral-mycoplasma placentitis]. / Sochetannye virusno-mikoplazmennye platsentity.

265 placentas were studied by means of light and fluorescent microscopy. 82 placentas showed combined infections induced by 2-5 agents (various viruses and mycoplasmas). Bacterial and fungal placentitis were excluded Manifestations depended on the infectious agents, their number and variants of their combination. Enhancement of vascular damage was observed in placentitis with participation of myxoviruses and herpes simplex virus. Enhancement of lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and sclerosis was typical for combined placentitis as well as alteration of antibody formation and interferon production. This reflects the gravity of the infection and its spread to the extra-placental membranes.

[Infectious placentitis, its effect on the fetus and infant development]. / Infektsionnye platsentity, ikh vliianie na plod i razvitie rebenka.

A random sample of 1000 placentae has been screened for infectious affections. Placentitis induced most commonly by Mycoplasma, herpetic and respiratory viruses was found in 213 of the examined placentae. Bacterial and mycotic involvement presented in 14 of cases. Immunofluorescence technique employed for the agents investigation revealed relevant agents and antigens as well as infection-specific structural rearrangement. There are also nonspecific organ alterations resulting in its insufficiency and having a high predictive value for the future developments. Placenta appeared capable of nonspecific protection against infection based on interferon production. Prognosis for genital-atrium infection proved most unfavorable.

[Involvement of the afterbirth in influenza]. / O porazhenii posleda pri grippe.

Light- and fluorescence-microscopy examinations of 186 placentas were carried out, with concurrent determination of placental interferon, isolation of influenza virus, and serologic tests of maternal and fetal blood, and amniotic fluid. In 32 of the cases, placentitis caused by serotype A or B of influenza virus was present, characterized by hyperplasia and subsequent destruction of amniotic cells, trophoblast, decidual cells, and vascular endothelium, by the presence of influenza antigens, fuchsinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions in the affected cells, and lymphoid infiltrates, and/or by circulatory disturbances. In addition, an interferon possessing properties of viral, immune, and placental interferon was detected in a number of placentas. A or B influenza virus was isolated from 3 placentas. Diagnostic titers of anti-influenza antibody occurred in fetal blood and amniotic fluid samples. The present results indicate that influenza virus may persist and replicate in placental cells.

[The placenta in herpes]. / Platsenta pri gerpese.

Forty placentas from patients affected with herpes simplex viruses of type I and II were studied by means of light and immunofluorescent microscopy, morphometry and serological investigation of fetal (infant) and mother's blood. Various morphological alterations in placenta were established. Some of them were specific and resulted from the effect of herpes virus on the cells (amniocytes, syncytiotrophoblast, decidual cells, vascular endothelium). The affected cells increased in size, herpes antigen was detected in their hyperchronic nuclei. Apart from this, in all placentas as well as in their vessels, moderate inflammatory response was observed. When antenatal death occurred, poor vascularization of villi was observed and specific alterations were most pronounced. When death occurred antenatally, alterations produced by herpes were rather moderate and acute alterations of placenta circulation predominated. In children born in a good condition, both specific and nonspecific alterations were insignificant and villi vascularization was good.

[Mycoplasma placentitis]. / O mikoplazmennom platsentite.

The results of the study of 25 placentas are presented. The condition of placenta was evaluated by light and immunofluorescent microscopy using morphometry. The data obtained were compared with the content of antibodies in the blood of fetuses and their mothers, as well as with the results of clinical observations of pregnant women and babies, and, if the latter died, with morphological changes in their organs. The possibility of development of mycoplasmal affection of placenta with the development of typical changes analogous to those observed in this infection in other organs was established. Mycoplasma were found in the changed cells. Different variants of the influence of placenta involvement on the development of the fetus are discussed.