Congenital heart block: successful prophylactic treatment with intravenous gamma globulin and corticosteroid therapy

Article Abstract:

Infants born to mothers who produce antibodies to Ro autoantigens have an increased risk for suffering from congenital heart block. These antibodies can cross the placenta and may contribute to fetal tissue damage. The risk is particularly high in pregnancies subsequent to ones in which an infant is born with congenital heart block. The case is described of a pregnant woman who was producing these antibodies and who had previously given birth to an infant with heart block. She was given gamma globulin infusions and drug therapy with prednisone, a corticosteroid, to prevent congenital heart block from occurring in this pregnancy. The treatment was begun at 14 weeks' gestation. Following a second infusion of gamma globulin at 18 weeks' gestation, anti-RO antibodies were no longer detectable. The pregnancy continued and a healthy child was delivered. It was thought that the therapy both blocked passage of the antibodies through the placenta and diminished their production. This case illustrates a treatment that may prevent maternal RO antibodies from damaging the fetus. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Usage, Causes of, Physiological aspects, Corticosteroids, Adrenocortical hormones, Autoimmune diseases, Congenital heart disease, Congenital heart defects, Pregnancy, Antibodies, Gamma globulins, Autoimmune diseases in pregnancy

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Prevention of herpes simplex virus infection and latency by prophylactic treatment with acyclovir in a weanling mouse model

Article Abstract:

Giving newborn infants of mothers with genital herpes acyclovir might completely prevent herpes infection in the infant. Researchers injected herpesvirus into the footpads of mice and then immediately gave half of the mice both oral acyclovir and an acyclovir injection and the other half a placebo. Acyclovir completely inhibited viral replication, and analysis of nerves in the dorsal root ganglia indicated that the drug also prevented the virus from reaching nerves.

Acyclovir

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Maternal herpes simplex virus antibody avidity and risk of neonatal herpes

Article Abstract:

Study is presented to assess whether herpes simplex virus antibody avidity is associated with risk of transmission of herpes simplex virus to the neonate. It is concluded that herpes simplex virus-1 antibody avidity increased over time after genital herpes simplex virus-1 acquisition, as has been previously observed for herpes simplex virus-2.

Risk factors, Herpes genitalis, Genital herpes, Disease/Disorder overview

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