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Anti-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M titer for congenital infection in first-trimester pregnancy with primary infection: a multicenter prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective:

We evaluated cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) titer in pregnant women with primary infection as a predictive factor for congenital infection.

Study design:

Maternal CMV antibody screening during the first trimester was conducted prospectively at 16 centers in Japan between September 2013 and 2015. Women with confirmed maternal primary infection underwent testing for fetal congenital infection, and we investigated the positive predictive value of CMV IgM titer levels for congenital infection in women with a low IgG avidity.

Results:

We identified 6 (8.6%) cases of congenital infection among 70 pregnant women with positive/borderline IgG, positive IgM and IgG avidity index 35.0% and 11 (39.3%) among 28 women with IgG and/or IgM seroconversion. IgM titer level 6.00 index showed the highest positive predictive value (17.1%).

Conclusion:

High titer of CMV IgM during the first trimester in pregnant women with primary infection is a risk factor for congenital infection.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate all institutions cooperating on this study and thank directors of Mie Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Obata H, Kanamaru K, Kamimoto Y, Kihira M, Sagawa N, Takakura T, Tabata T, Nii S, Nishimura K, Maeda M and Minoura H) for facilitating this study. We also thank Nakamura M (Central Laboratory, Mie University Hospital) and Nakamura H and Negoro M (Institute for Clinical Research, National Mie Hospital) for their help in this study. This study was supported in part by the Clinical Research Program for Child Health and Development from Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

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Correspondence to K Toriyabe.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Perinatology website

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Toriyabe, K., Morikawa, F., Minematsu, T. et al. Anti-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M titer for congenital infection in first-trimester pregnancy with primary infection: a multicenter prospective cohort study. J Perinatol 37, 1272–1277 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2017.133

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