Development of Antibodies Against Cytomegalovirus, Varicella-zoster Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus in Finland During the First Eight Years Of Life: A Prospective Study

Abstract

To clarify when antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) develop among young children, 1206 serum samples collected prospectively from 199 children born in 1989 and 1990 were studied. The samples were drawn at the ages of 7 and 13 months, then yearly until the age of 5 y and then at 7 and 8 y. In each age group at least 106 samples were collected. Immunoglobulin G class antibodies to the 3 viruses were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. At the age of 7 months 27% of the children had CMV antibodies, whereas only 3% had antibodies against VZV and 2% against HSV. The prevalence of seropositivity for CMV increased slowly to 41% by the age of 8 y. Seroconversions to VZV antibody positivity occurred frequently after 2 y of age, so that by 8 y 83% of children had VZV antibodies. The proportion of children with HSV antibodies remained low throughout the study, as only 17% of children had HSV antibodies at the age of 8 y. The data show that HSV infection is becoming acquired later in life and the proportion of uninfected children is increasing. The proportion of CMV infections during the perinatal period and early infancy remains high, in one-third of the children, and most children also have VZV infection during the early years of life.

Immunomodulation by roquinimex decreases the expression of IL-23 (p19) mRNA in the brains of herpes simplex virus type 1 infected BALB/c mice

“…Earlier immunomodulative and immunosuppressive treatments in HSV-1-infection have been studied in several mouse strains and it is important to study this while HSV-1 is a common virus in humans and immunomodulative treatments are and will be used in treating immunological diseases. The seroprevalence of HSV in Finland has decreased in children under 8 years of age [36] and this may lead to exposure of more young adults to primary HSV infection, also of those who are receiving novel immunomodulative agents. Irradiation, as an immunosuppressive method, of HSV-1-infected BALB/cByJ mice leads to no changes in the spreading of viral antigen throughout the brain but prevents the demyelination of the white matter [37].…”

Seroepidemiology of cytomegalovirus infections in Croatia

“…Prevalence rates are reported to be 41%-92% in children and adolescents [12][13][14][15], 45%-94% in adult general population [14,[16][17][18][19], 30%-91.5% in pregnant women [20][21][22][23][24] and 68%-99% in hemodialysis patients [25][26][27].…”

Cytomegalovirus infection in early infancy: risk of induction and progression of autoimmunity associated with type 1 diabetes

“…CMV infection is already relatively common among small children. In the Finnish population, 27% of infants at the age of 7 months tested positive for CMV IgG antibodies [3]. In infants and early childhood the most common route for CMV transmission is perinatal infection through maternal genital secretion or breast milk.…”