[Primary cytomegalovirus infection and pregnant women: epidemiological study on 1100 women at Limoges]. / Primo-infection à cytomégalovirus et femmes enceintes: étude épidémiologique portant sur 1100 femmes à Limoges.

During 13 months, 1101 women attending for antenatal care at Limoges University Hospital were prospectively studied to determine the prevalence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies: 47.9% of these women were CMV seropositive. Ethnic group was strongly associated with CMV status: 42.6% of metropolitan and 94.5% of immigrant women were seropositive. Seropositivity was associated with increasing parity and older age. The risk of a susceptible woman to acquire CMV infection during pregnancy is 0.7%. Among the 4 seroconversions, 3 children were infected, with developmentally and neurologically normal status in one case, moderate ear damage in an other case and a disseminated infection in the third case requiring a provoked abortion.

[Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HDV hepatitis markers in 500 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus]. / Séroprévalence des marqueurs des virus des hépatites B, C et D chez 500 patients infectés par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine.

The serological status for both hepatitis B, C and D viruses was analyzed for 500 HIV seropositive patients and for 1037 of a control group. The prevalence was 31.4% for anti HCV, 13.8% for HBs Ag and 69.0% for one or more HBV markers in HIV positive patients and respectively 2.5%, 2.7% and 13.1% in control group. The markers for hepatitis D were founded among 21% of the HBs Ag carriers (patients and control group), correlated with drug i.v. use. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 71.6% in subjects who had blood-borne HIV infection and 1.5% in those with sexually acquired infection. The prevalence in control group was 10.2% and 1.7% respectively according to the same risk factors. The prevalence of HBs Ag was higher among HIV positive patients with sexual risk (17.5%) than with blood exposition (9.9%) and a variation in the same direction is observed in control group (3% v.s. 1%). The relation between markers for hepatitis B and hepatitis C was negative.

[Seroprevalence of hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients]. / Séroprévalence de l'hépatite C chez les sujets contaminés par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine.

Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) was evaluated using Ortho and Abbott HCV Elisa assays and the Abbott EIA Neutralization assay in 150 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients and compared with the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) markers. Overall prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies was 29.3%; significant variations were seen across human immunodeficiency virus risk factor subgroups: prevalence was 10.2% in homosexual men, 12.0% in bisexual men, 73.5% in intravenous drug users, 13.3% in blood transfusion recipients, and 16.6% in frequent travellers. Seroprevalence was higher in the 20 to 40 year-old age group and in patients stage II or III according to the Center for Disease Control classification. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus markers (75.7% and 17.5% respectively) was analyzed according to hepatitis C virus marker status; patients with HBcAb were more likely to have antibodies against hepatitis C virus than their HBcAb-negative counterparts. Further studies are needed to investigate the influence of coexposure to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus on liver lesions. Data from this study show that coinfection or coexposure is common.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B (Hbs Ag, Hbe Ag, DNA) and delta virus markers, in about 10,000 pregnant women in Limoges (France)]. / Prévalence des marqueurs des virus des hépatites B (Ag HBs, Ag HBe, ADN) et delta, Chez près de dix mille femmes enceintes à Limoges (France).

The risk of perinatal B virus transmission is well known, but is estimated in France on results obtained from blood donors or from urban populations. In the present study, the screening of HBs Ag was carried out during five years (1984-1988), within a sample population of pregnant women (french women: 8,364, immigrant women: 1,206) seen in the university hospital of Limoges. Positive sera for HBs Ag were also tested for the other markers of B virus including specific DNA, and markers of the delta virus. The total seroprevalence of HBs Ag among these women was 0.54%, and was significantly higher in the immigrant women group (2.57%) when compared to that of french women (0.25%). During the same period (1984-1988), the seroprevalence among females blood donor was 0.03%. Among the HBs Ag chronic carrier pregnant women (n = 52), 27% were HBe Ag positive and four of them (31%) had viral DNA in their serum. Viral DNA was found in three women who were HBe Ag negative. Thirteen per cent of the HBs Ag positive pregnant women were infected by the delta virus.