Cytomegalovirus infection in an Italian population: antibody prevalence, virus excretion and maternal transmission.

Between 1987 and 1994, the prevalence of antibodies to Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was determined by ELISA in 19,043 subjects in the population of Parma (Northern Italy). The overall prevalence was 71.8%. The age specific prevalence increases starting from 28% in two year-olds to 95.7% in 45-54 year-old subjects. Profiles of antibody production during primary and recurrent infection were analyzed and correlated with virus presence in clinical samples showing correspondence between virus excretion and increasing IgG levels. A longitudinal study of CMV infection was undertaken in 1045 pregnant women and their babies. Rate of infection during pregnancy was 2.34% and rate of congenital infection was 0.57%. Results also indicate that mothers are the major source of perinatal infection (contaminated genital secretions and milk) and confirm the usefulness of monitoring antibody status and virus excretion of mother and neonate at birth.

"Neonatal variant" of Bartter syndrome presenting with acidosis.

An infant is reported with the "neonatal variant" of Bartter syndrome, presenting at 5 weeks of age with metabolic acidosis associated with a life-threatening water and electrolyte depletion. Alkalosis was first shown after 2 weeks of vigorous fluid, sodium, and potassium substitution. We suggest that the extreme fluid and electrolyte losses associated with the "neonatal form" of Bartter syndrome could lead to acidosis more often than previously suspected, and may cause underdiagnosis of a possibly fatal condition.

[Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in neonatology: the method and results in a group of normal newborns]. / I potenziali evocati uditivi del tronco encefalico in neonatologia: metodica e risultati in un gruppo di neonati normali.

Brainstem evoked responses audiometry was performed on 10 newborn infants. They ranged in postnatal age from 19 hours to 5 days and in estimated gestational age from 39 to 42 weeks. Clicks of 0.1 msec duration were presented at a rate of 11.4 per second. Measurements were made at 50, 80 and 100 dB. Wave V latencies were evaluated at 50, 80 and 100 dB HL in order to measure the auditory threshold. The latency of wave V is the datum of interest. Wave V responses were obtained bilaterally at 50 dB HL. Waves I and III latencies were measured at 100 dB HL.

Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in the population of the area of Parma (Italy).

Between 1987 and 1991, the prevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was determined by ELISA in 28,247 serum samples belonging to 19,432 subjects of the area of Parma (Italy). The overall prevalence was 48.5%. The correlation of infection with age, performed on 420 sera, showed a significant increase of positivity until 30-40 approximately years. In consecutive sera obtained from 172 subjects, the IgG and IgM production was analyzed for about 8 months, and four different patterns were delineated which were comprehensive of the wide range of immunological responses to Toxoplasma gondii exposure observed. Among pregnant females the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was 48.7%, and 5 cases of seroconversion during the pregnancy were observed (0.27%) from which two cases of congenital toxoplasmosis originated.

[Fetal defects caused by the passive consumption of drugs]. / Danni fetali da assunzione passiva di droghe.

The neuroactive drugs taken by pregnant women have two principals side effects: a teratogenic effects and a postnatal withdrawal effect. Three are the characteristic syndromes: the hydantoin-barbiturate syndrome, the trimethadione-paramethadione syndrome, the fetal alcohol syndrome. The prenatal exposure to heroine and to morphine interfere mainly with the cerebral development. Drug addiction, like postnatale withdrawal syndrome, are mainly due to passive exposure to drug narcotic (heroine, methadone), to sedative-hypnotic agents (barbiturates Diazepam Chlordiazepoxide) and to alcohol. The cigarette smoke is responsible for third group of side effects, namely for the reduced fetal growth and for the premature labor. No side effects on the human fetus were observed due to abuse of coffee or to use of marihuana during pregnancy.

[Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very low birth weight infants]. / La displasia bronco-polmonare nei nati di peso molto basso.

The reported incidence of Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) varies from 5% to 68%. The different criteria used to define BPD are responsable for these discrepancies: some Authors include only patients with a clinical and radiological picture that fits the stage IV, as originally described by Northway, others use a more liberal approach and include all patients with manifestations of chronic pulmonary disease. We observed BPD in 12 of 22 (54%) survivors infants of very low birth weight (mean 1115 gm) and gestational age (mean 29,2 weeks). The infants were all born between November 1979 and March 1981. According to Ehrenkranz et al., we classified the radiological findings as severe, moderate and mild. We believe that the etiology of BPD in very low birth weight infants is multifactorial. However, pulmonary oxygen toxicity and immaturity are the most important causes.