This thesis investigates whether human papillomaviruses are transmitted from mothers to their infants. Cervical/vaginal swabs were taken from 69 pregnant women. Buccal and genital samples were taken from their infants (all delivered vaginally) at 24 h (n=70; one set of twins), six weeks (n-49) and six months (n=19). All samples were examined for HPV-6, -11, -16, -18, -31 and -33 us polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty seven (54%) women had detectable detectable in sixteen (23%) infants at 24 h and seven (14%) at six weeks; a perinatal transmission rate of 23% (6/37) and persistence of 14% (7/37). All infants tested at six months were HPV negative. At 24h, HPV-6 was demonstrated in 9 mother-infant pairs, HPV-18 in 1 mother-infant pair, HPV-11 in 1 mother-infant pair, dual infection with HPV type 16 and 18 in 3 mother-infant pairs. Two infants with HPV-18 were delivered to mothers in HPV-16/18. At 6 weeks, 5 infants remained HOV-16 positive, one infant HPV-18 positive, whilst one infant who was HPV 16/18 positive was now HPV-16 positive. To examine whether HPVs were acquired in utero or intrapartum, genital swabs were collected from 33 women who had amniotic fluid collected either at caesarean section (n=29) or at amniocentesis (n=4). Analysis of these samples demonstrated genital HPV in 10 (10%) of the women and none of the amniotic fluid samples. To demonstrate persistence and source of infectivity at 2 years, the same group sequenced a 521 bp segment of the upstream regulatory (URR) of HPV-16 DNA isolated from 13 maternal samples, samples taken from their infants. In conclusion, HPVs can be transmitted perinatally. HPV DNA persisted up to 2 years of age. In addition women with a high genital HPV load were more likely to transmit the virus.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:696399 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Pakarian, Farzin Bouzorgmehr |
| Publisher | University of Leicester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/2381/29553 |
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