Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Department of Immunology
2 Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz
3 Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom
4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Background: Respiratory Syncytical virus infection is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia in infancy.
Objective: To investigate the placental transfer of RSV-specific IgG in Iranian mothers.
Methods: The antibodies were measured in sera of 146 mother/newborn pairs using a commercially available indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The studied subjects were among healthy pregnant women who attended to the Zeinabieh Hospital of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in a one year period.
Results: A highly significant correlation was observed between RSV-specific IgG in newborns and mothers (r = 0.88). However, mean RSV-specific IgG antibodies in neonates was significantly higher than that of their mothers (P = 0.019). In addition, the mean cord/maternal ratio of RSV-specific IgG was detected to be 1.27 ± 0.60. Maternal blood group, age, parity, previous abortions and neonatal gestational age had no correlation with placental transfer of RSV-specific IgG antibodies.
Conclusion: Our finding demonstrates that placental transfer of RSV-specific IgG antibodies is an active process and the main factor that influences this transfer is maternal concentration of these immunoglobulins.
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