[Perinatal infections of B19 Parvoviruses] / Infezione perinatale da Parvovirus B19 e destino del neonato.

This study is aimed at detecting perinatal infections of Parvovirus B19 (PV B19). The authors have analyzed specific antibodies (IgM and IgG) in the cord serum of 647 babies, born consecutively at the St. Eugenio Hospital in Rome. 156 of them (24%) were positive to IgG. The analysis of viral genome by PCR methods showed three positive subjects (2%). The three newborn babies did not develop any pathologies during a two-year follow-up and PCR became negative within the first 6 months. Data show that a mass pregnancy test is not useful for PV B19 detection, and that specific antibody analysis should be limited to pregnancies at risk. However healthy the infected patients may appear at birth, though, it is advisable to have them monitored for at least one year so as to avoid the risk of chronic infections.

[Etiology of rare diseases caused by novel viral agents: a review of the most recent literature]. / Eziologia di malattie rare da nuovi agenti virali: una indagine della letteratura più recente.

The authors describe the viral pathologies that have become rare in Italy and in the rest of the western world; they also analyze some novel agents mainly imported from the tropical and Asian Countries. For some of the microorganisms, they describe the various zones at risk, ways of transmission, clinical case, recent lab methods and preventive measures.