Sero Frequency of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1&2 IgG Among Pregnant Women Attending Saada Bouelella Hospital
Moayad Mahgoub El-tayeb1, Shamson KhamisKafi2 and Mohamed H. Arbab3*
1 Lecturer in the Department of medical Microbiology– Faculty of medical Laboratory Sciences - University Omdurman Ahlia, Sudan.
2 Professor in the Department of medical Microbiology– Faculty of medical Laboratory Sciences - University Omdurman Ahlia, Sudan.
3 Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman Ahlia University, Sudan Khartoum, Sudan.
*Corresponding Author: Mohamed H. Arbab, Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman Ahlia University, Sudan Khartoum, Sudan.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58624/SVOAMB.2024.05.050
Received: August 17, 2024 Published: September 10, 2024
Abstract
Background: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Due to its prevalence among women of reproductive age, the infection can be contracted during pregnancy and subsequently transmitted to the fetus or newborn. HSV is a significant cause of neonatal infections, which can result in death or long-term disabilities. The greatest risk of transmission to the fetus and newborn occurs when the mother contracts the initial infection in the second half of pregnancy. The risk of maternal-fetal-neonatal HSV transmission can be reduced through antiviral treatment or, in certain cases, by opting for a caesarean section. This research aims to determine the rate of HSV infection among pregnant women attending Saad Abou Ella Hospital, shedding light on the extent of the problem.
Methodology: Blood samples were collected from 101 pregnant women under direct medical supervision via venipuncture using a 5 ml syringe. The blood was drawn into plain tubes, and serum was separated after centrifugation at 5000 rpm for 15 minutes. The sera were stored at -20°C until serological tests were conducted. Specimens were processed using a third-generation Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) (Foresight, Germany) to detect IgG antibodies against HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Results: A total of 101 pregnant women participated in the study, with 45 from Khartoum, 25 from Omdurman, 9 from Bahri, 19 from Al Jazirah, and 3 from White Nile State. The participants' ages ranged from 16 to 41 years, with a mean age of 27.10 years. Most of the women were in the third trimester of pregnancy (67.7%) and had no history of abortion (80%). Among the 101 pregnant women studied, 32% were seropositive for HSV-1 IgG antibodies, and 17% were seropositive for HSV-2 IgG antibodies, with 5 women testing positive for both. The highest seropositivity for IgG was observed in the 32-38 age groups, among those with no history of abortion, and in women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation (P-value > 0.05) between age, history of abortion, trimesters, and the frequency of HSV antibodies.
Keywords: HSV, Seroprevlance, Sudan.
Citation: El-tayeb MM, KhamisKafi S, Arbab MH. Sero Frequency of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1&2 IgG Among Pregnant Women Attending Saada Bouelella Hospital. SVOA Microbiology 2024, 5:4, 131-135. doi:10.58624 SVOAMB.2024.05.050
