EP166 - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (HCMV) SHEDDING AND HCMV-SPECIFIC CELLULAR-MEDIATED IMMUNITY (CMI) AS MEASURED BY A HCMV-ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNE ABSORBENT SPOT (CMV-ELISPOT) ASSAY, IN HCMV-SEROPOSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN (ID 970)
Abstract
Backgrounds:
HCMV-seropositive pregnant women may shed HMCV in bodily fluids over the course of pregnancy. CMV-specific CMI may be important in controlling viral replication, viral shedding and potentially, in the prevention of vertical transmission to the foetus. We aimed to assess the relationship between HCMV shedding during pregnancy and HCMV-specific CMI using a HCMV-ELISPOT assay.
Methods
Informed consent was sought from HCMV seropositive pregnant women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in London (UK) to collect saliva, urine and vaginal secretion samples to test for HCMV DNA via PCR at three time-points (12-16 gestation weeks, 17-26 gestation weeks, 27 gestation weeks until delivery) in pregnancy. Blood samples were also collected at the same time-points to test with a HCMV-ELISPOT assay; results were recorded as responsive or non-responsive, as a spot count, and as specific spot counts to IE-1 and pp65 antigens.
Results:
From 67 HCMV-seropositive pregnant women, 99 samples of saliva, urine, vaginal secretions and blood were obtained. A quarter of the women (17/67) shed HMCV in one or more samples on at least one time-point. All women had a responsive HCMV-ELISPOT result on at least one time-point. There were no significant differences in the detection of HCMV shedding based on the HCMV-ELISPOT spot count to IE-1. However, the mean HCMV-ELISPOT spot count to pp65 was lower at all time-points in women with shedding as compared with those without shedding (Figure 1).
Conclusions/Learning Points:
HCMV-specific CMI against pp65 antigen, as assessed with a HCMV-ELISPOT assay, may be important in the control of HCMV shedding in HCMV-seropositive pregnant women.
/thumbnails/0.jpg)
