Chickenpox in pregnant women in Moscow 2009–2019

Abstract

Varicella (chickenpox) is a widespread disease predominantly occurring in childhood. In case of primary infection during pregnancy, intrauterine infection, miscarriages and neonatal varicella may develop.

The aim – evaluation of the clinical features of primary varicella-zoster infection in pregnant women and the impact of disease on pregnancy and childbirth.

Material and methods. The databases containing data on 37 831 hospitalized pregnant women residing in the Infectious Disease Clinical Hospital No. 1 during the period between 2009 and 2019 and 408 medical discharge reports of pregnant women were analyzed in a retrospective study. An assessment of the seasonal prevalence, age of patients, gestational age, hospital stay, the presence of related diseases, complications was made.

Results and discussion. The rate of patients with Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) among hospitalized pregnant women was 2.16%. Generally, the incidence of VZV among pregnant women is higher than in the adult population in Moscow; infection mainly occurs in the intrafamilial environment. Infections occurred throughout the year, with a case prevalence in the winter months and a minimum number of cases in the summer months. In 5.7% cases of varicella among pregnant women, it proceeded as a co-infection and in 6.4% as a superinfection associated with chronic infectious diseases. A concomitant urinary tract infection was detected in 20.9%. Complications of varicella were diagnosed in 4.1% of cases. Miscarriages were registered in 0.7% of hospitalizations.

Conclusion. Considering the comparatively high incidence of varicella among pregnant women, it is advisable to do screening for antibodies to VZV, especially in families with children. In the absence of specific IgG, vaccination is possible as a preparation for pregnancy, as well as immunization of children, as the group most susceptible to infection.

Keywords:varicella, pregnancy, miscarriage, pneumonia, meningitis, co-infection

Funding. The study had no sponsor support.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Contribution. Concept and design – Rajkovic M.S., Denishaeva E.R., Orlov D.V., Saifullin M.A.; data collection – Revazyan N.R., Skorobogatova A.M., Saifullin M.A.; statistical processing – Skorobogatova A.M., Rajkovic M.S., Denishaeva E.R., Orlov D.V.; text writing, design – Zvereva N.N., Bazarova M.V., Smetanina S.V., Kulagina M.G.; editing – Sayfullin M.A., Smetanina S.V.

For citation: Rajkovic M.S., Denishaeva E.R., Orlov D.V., Sayfullin M.A., Zvereva N.N., Revazyan N.R., Skorobogatova A.M., Bazarova M.V., Smetanina S.V., Kulagina M.G. Chickenpox in pregnant women in Moscow 2009–2019. Infektsionnye bolezni: novosti, mneniya, obuchenie [Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training]. 2021; 10 (3): 74–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2305-3496-2021-10-3-74-82 (in Russian)

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CHIEF EDITOR
Aleksandr V. Gorelov
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, MD, Head of Infection Diseases and Epidemiology Department of the Scientific and Educational Institute of Clinical Medicine named after N.A. Semashko ofRussian University of Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of Childhood Diseases, Clinical Institute of Children's Health named after N.F. Filatov, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Deputy Director for Research, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Rospotrebnadzor (Moscow, Russian Federation)

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