Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus among antenatal patients attending primary health centres in some parts of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can cross the placenta and cause both fetal and placental infections a serious risk factor for the unborn child. CMVâ€infected infants can be symptomatic and asymptomatic at birth, with outcomes that can include intrauterine growth restriction, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, intracranial calcifications, hearing loss, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenic and various degrees of sensory impairment. This work was aimed at determining the seroprevalence of CMV and the risk factors associated with the infection in  antenatal patients attending Primary Health Centersin some part of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Serological screening for CMV antibodies was done using Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) IgG and IgM. Of the 360 patient samples, 357 (99.2%) and sixty six (66) (18.3%) were positive for both IgG and IgM respectively. Prevalence of CMV IgG increased with age with 100% prevalence in age groups of greater than 29 years, while that of IgM was higher in ages less than 20 and greater than 40 years (21.3% and 50% respectively). The prevalence of CMV IgG was highest (100%) among those with informal and tertiary education women while the IgM prevalence was highest in those with tertiary education (22.7%) only. In relation to progression of pregnancy, a prevalence of 100% for CMV IgG was observed in first trimester and 22.1% in third trimester for CMV IgM. There was a significant association in CMV IgM seroprevalence (p<0.05) with marital status with the separated having higher prevalence than the married women, but no significant association between CMV and age, socio demographic factors, risk factors and clinical data (P>0.05).