biostudies-literatureSemmes ECNational Institute of Allery and Infectious DiseasesNCATS NIH HHSNIAID NIH HHSBERD Methods CoreNational Center For Advancing Translational SciencesNational Cancer InstituteNCI NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIGMS NIH HHS1131-1140https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8994583biostudies-literatureUnknown74(7)<h4>Background</h4>Placentally transferred maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG) protects against pathogens in early life, yet vertically transmitted infections can interfere with transplacental IgG transfer. Although human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common placentally-transmitted viral infection worldwide, the impact of congenital HCMV (cCMV) infection on transplacental IgG transfer has been underexplored.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated total and antigen-specific maternal and cord blood IgG levels and transplacental IgG transfer efficiency in a US-based cohort of 93 mother-infant pairs including 27 cCMV-infected and 66 cCMV-uninfected pairs, of which 29 infants were born to HCMV-seropositive nontransmitting mothers and 37 to HCMV-seronegative mothers. Controls were matched on sex, race/ethnicity, maternal age, and delivery year.<h4>Results</h4>Transplacental IgG transfer efficiency was decreased by 23% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10-36%, P = .0079) in cCMV-infected pairs and 75% of this effect (95% CI 28-174%, P = .0085) was mediated by elevated maternal IgG levels (ie, hypergammaglobulinemia) in HCMV-transmitting women. Despite reduced transfer efficiency, IgG levels were similar in cord blood from infants with and without cCMV infection.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our results indicate that cCMV infection moderately reduces transplacental IgG transfer efficiency due to maternal hypergammaglobulinemia; however, infants with and without cCMV infection had similar antigen-specific IgG levels, suggesting comparable protection from maternal IgG acquired via transplacental transfer.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of AmericaCongenital Human Cytomegalovirus Infection Is Associated With Decreased Transplacental IgG Transfer Efficiency Due to Maternal Hypergammaglobulinemia.PMC8994583R21 AI1479921R21-AI147992UL1TR002553UL1 TR002553T32 GM145449T32 GM007171R21 CA2424391R21CA242439-01Yang ZPermar SRLi SHHurst JHWalsh KMKurtzberg JNiedzwiecki DSemmes ECFouda GGfalseCongenital Human Cytomegalovirus Infection Is Associated With Decreased Transplacental IgG Transfer Efficiency Due to Maternal Hypergammaglobulinemia.<h4>Background</h4>Placentally transferred maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG) protects against pathogens in early life, yet vertically transmitted infections can interfere with transplacental IgG transfer. Although human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common placentally-transmitted viral infection worldwide, the impact of congenital HCMV (cCMV) infection on transplacental IgG transfer has been underexplored.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated total and antigen-specific maternal and cord blood IgG levels and transplacental IgG transfer efficiency in a US-based cohort of 93 mother-infant pairs including 27 cCMV-infected and 66 cCMV-uninfected pairs, of which 29 infants were born to HCMV-seropositive nontransmitting mothers and 37 to HCMV-seronegative mothers. Controls were matched on sex, race/ethnicity, maternal age, and delivery year.<h4>Results</h4>Transplacental IgG transfer efficiency was decreased by 23% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10-36%, P = .0079) in cCMV-infected pairs and 75% of this effect (95% CI 28-174%, P = .0085) was mediated by elevated maternal IgG levels (ie, hypergammaglobulinemia) in HCMV-transmitting women. Despite reduced transfer efficiency, IgG levels were similar in cord blood from infants with and without cCMV infection.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our results indicate that cCMV infection moderately reduces transplacental IgG transfer efficiency due to maternal hypergammaglobulinemia; however, infants with and without cCMV infection had similar antigen-specific IgG levels, suggesting comparable protection from maternal IgG acquired via transplacental transfer.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Apr2026-06-19T03:18:12.326Z2025-04-04T03:20:09.542ZS-EPMC89945833426070110.1093/cid/ciab627