Infection with T. gondii is particularly dangerous for pregnant women as it may lead to the transplacental passage of the parasite. Currently, congenital toxoplasmosis is the second most frequent intrauterine infection. The risk of transmission of T. gondii to the foetus varies throughout the world and ranges from 0.6-1.7/1,000 of pregnant women. The consequences of congenital toxoplasmosis are...

Malaria infections during pregnancy can lead to the delivery of low-birth-weight infants. In this study, cytokine mRNA was measured in placentas from 23 malaria-infected and 21 uninfected primigravid women who had delivered in Mangochi, Malawi, a region with a high rate of transmission of falciparum malaria. Significantly increased expression of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-8, and tumor necrosis ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the placental weight and birth weight/placental weight ratio for intrauterine growth-restricted and non-intrauterine growth-restricted monochorionic and dichorionic twins. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of placentas from twin pregnancies. Placental weight and the birth weight/placental weight ratio were compared in intrauterin...

The intrauterine device (IUD), one of the most effective and most common methods of reversible contraception, is used by millions of women worldwide. Although various studies indicate the benefits of its use as a contraceptive method, the greatest concern regarding IUDs is the potential risk for infection. The presence of the IUD gives a solid surface for bacterial attachment and biofilm format...

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of viral intrauterine infection in developed countries. It has been shown that CMV DNA was frequently detected in the fetal membranes when the placenta was infected in utero. However, it is still not clear whether CMV replicates in constituent cells of the fetal membranes. We investigated CMV infection of primary cultured chorion and amnion c...

BACKGROUND Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection, with increased morbidity and mortality at birth. The risk of intrauterine infection largely depends on the time of maternal infection during pregnancy. Currently, no national screening test for CMV infection is available during pregnancy in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of CMV in...

AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the current prenatal "off-label use" of cytomegalovirus hyperimmunoglobulin (CMV-HIG) in the prevention and treatment of congenital CMV (cCMV) infection, including the long-term outcome of the children. METHODS This retrospective observational study comprised mothers and their children, born between January 1, 2006, and October 30, 2010. Prenatal ...

Three unrelated patients with bilateral macular dysplasia ('colobomata') with no relevant family history were found to have absent or substantially abnormal electroretinograms, implying that there was an associated retinal dystrophy. This may suggest that the macular lesions are associated with a global failure of retinal development, with a regional preponderance rather than a purely localised...

Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) is well known to cause upper respiratory tract or cutaneous infections, but some more virulent species of GAS can lead to a rapidly progressive life threatening soft tissue necrotizing infection and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). In the modern era, GAS infections within the female reproductive tract leading to STSS are unusual and are often th...