A Cross-Sectional of Serological Prevalence of Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Treponema Pallidum and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Antenatal Women with Poor Obstetric History.

Abstract

Aim: To determine the  serological prevalence of Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, treponema pallidum and human immunodeficiency virus in antenatal women with poor obstetric history.

Materials and methods: This research was a cross-sectional study done at the Department of Microbiology.  A total of 200 pregnant women with a history of adverse obstetric events who presented to our Hospital were included in this research. The research was conducted after obtaining authorization from the institutional ethics committee.  RV, CMV, HSV, TP, and HIV infection were examined in blood samples obtained from 200 women with a history of adverse obstetric events. A standardised case proforma was used to assess factors such as age and adverse outcomes related to the foetus, including two or more consecutive spontaneous abortions, history of intrauterine foetal death, intrauterine growth retardation, stillbirth, early neonatal mortality, and/or congenital abnormalities.

Results: Out of the 200 cases analysed in this investigation, 190 instances tested positive for one or more of the TORCH compounds. The instances when the TORCH positive subjects tested positive for IgM, IgG, or both IgM and IgG. CMV contributed for 54.17% of abortions, HSV accounted for 71.43%, and RV accounted for 38.46%. The prevalence of congenital abnormalities was 7.69% for RV, 8.33% for CMV, and 7.14% for HSV. CMV was responsible for 8.33% of newborn deaths, whereas RV accounted for 7.69%. The occurrence of (RV) involvement in intrauterine mortality was found to be 23.08%, whereas cytomegalovirus (CMV) accounted for 8.33% of cases. Among the 22 individuals who tested positive for IgG antibodies against Rubella, 18 had evidence of protective immunity, whereas 4 did not.  Among the 44 individuals who tested positive for IgG antibodies against CMV in this investigation, 36 instances indicated a previous infection lasting more than 6-8 weeks. The length of infection was not known in the other 8 cases. Out of the 26 instances of HSV infection, HSV-2 was responsible for the majority, accounting for 19 cases. The remaining cases were caused by HSV-1.  All of the BOH patients in this research tested negative for syphilis in the Carbogen test. Additionally, 2% of the total BOH cases were found to be positive for HIV.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that TORCH infections are linked to BOH and are a significant factor in repeated abortion, congenital malformations, birth complications, neonatal mortality, and intrauterine death. To minimise negative effects on the unborn baby, it is recommended to conduct serological tests for TORCH infections in pregnant women who have experienced previous pregnancy losses.