Changes in physicobiochemical properties of nasopharyngeal aspirate in newborns with congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Aim. To study the change in the physico-biochemical properties of the nasopharyngeal aspirate in newborns with congenital cytomegalovirus infection (CMVI).
Materials and methods. The pH, the concentration of medium molecular weight peptides, seromucoid, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase in the nasopharyngeal aspirate in 59 full-term infants with intrauterine development, uncomplicated and complicated by congenital CMVI, who died at 2-5 days of life, were studied. The first group included 25 children of early neonatal age (control group), whose mothers did not have moderate and severe obstetric and somatic pathologies during pregnancy, as well as respiratory viral infections and sexually transmitted infections. The second group was represented by 18 newborns (comparison group) from mothers with exacerbation of CMVI in the second trimester of gestation, which does not lead to antenatal infection of their offspring. The third group consisted of 16 newborns (main group) with diagnosed intrauterine CMVI.
Results. In the nasopharyngeal aspirate in the newborns of the second group, in comparison with the first one, there were no statistically significant differences in pH (7.02±0.016 and 7.05±0.016, respectively, p>0.05). At the same time, there was a decrease in the concentration of total cholesterol (0.196±0.006 and 0.238±0.003 mmol/L, respectively, p<0.001), an increase in the concentration of medium molecular weight peptides (0.595±0.032 and 0.345±0.005 mmol/L, respectively, p<0.001), seromucoid (0.112±0.002 and 0.098±0.001 optical density units, respectively, p<0.001), triglycerides (0.160±0.005 and 0.145±0.004 mmol/L, respectively, p<0.05) and lactate dehydrogenase activity (345,0±14.16 and 287.6±10.23 IU/L, respectively, p<0.01). In the third group, in comparison with the second one, a decrease in pH by 1.01 times (p<0.01) and in total cholesterol by 1.35 times (p<0.001), an increase in the concentration of medium molecular weight peptides by 1.32 times (p<0,05), seromucoid – 1.13 times (p<0.001), triglycerides – 1.24 times (p<0.001) and the level of lactate dehydrogenase – 1.15 times (p<0.05).
Conclusion. In dead newborns with intrauterine CMVI, a change in the physico-biochemical properties of the nasopharyngeal aspirate in the first minutes after birth indicates an antenatal direct and indirect negative effect of the infection on the state of the amniotic membrane, placenta and organs of the intrauterine fetus.

full-term infants, congenital cytomegalovirus infection, nasopharyngeal aspirate

1. Kovalchuck L.V., Gankovskaya L.V., Makarov O.V., Bakhareva I.V., Taranets A.N. The cellular and humoral components of amniotic fluid in health and in intrauterine infection. Immunologiya 2003; 24(6):350−351 (in Russian).

2. Burlev V.A., Ordzhonikidze N.V., Ushnitskaya E.K., Konovodova E.N., Lapshina I.I., Kan N.E. Biochemical monitoring in pregnant women with polyhydramnios of infectious genesis during therapy. Problemy reproduktsii = Russian Journal of Human Reproduction 2004; 10(2):62–68 (in Russian).

3. Bakhareva I.V. Prognostic value of a study of amniotic fluid in pregnant women at high risk for intrauterine infection. Russian Medical Journal 2009; (4):31−36 (in Russian).

4. Drukker N.A., Ermolova N.V., Avrutskaya V.V., Zenkina Z.V., Shkotova E.O., Durnitsyna O.A., Erdzhanyan L.L. Impact of changes in cellular bioactive substances of amniotic fluid on the development of fetal growth restriction and preterm labor. Russian Bulletin of Obstetrician-Gynecologist = Rossiyskiy vestnik akushera-ginekologa 2017; 17(6):14−18 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.17116/rosakush201717614-18

5. Gorikov I.N., Lutsenko М.Т., Kolosov V.P., Grigorenko А.А., Zabolotskikh T.V., Samsonov V.P. Patent 2542429 RU. Method for early diagnosis of ventriculomegaly in severe cerebral ischemia in newborns with intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection; published 20.02.2015 (in Russian).

6. Gorikov I.N., Lutsenko М.Т., Kolosov V.P., Grigorenko А.А., Zabolotskikh T.V., Samsonov V.P. Patent 2553632 RU. Method for differential diagnosis of generalized form of intrauterine mono- and mixed cytomegalovirus infection in newborns; published 20.06. 2015 (in Russian).

7. Аbramchenko V.V., Shabalov N.P. Clinical perinatal medicine. Petrozavodsk: Inteltek; 2004 (in Russian).

8. Samsonov V.P., Lutsenko M.T., Novik E.V. Diagnosing of endotoxicosis different degrees at lungs abscess: methodological recommendations. Blagoveshchensk; 1988 (in Russian).