The "C" in TORCH an acronym for infections Toxoplasma, Other organisms (parvovirus, HIV, Epstein-Barr, herpes 6 and 8, varicella, syphilis, enterovirus), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Hepatitus.
Viruses cannot reproduce by themselves and therefore infect cells to use the cell machinery to produce more virus. Different viruses have genetic material as single- or double-stranded RNA or DNA. The infectious virus particle is called a "virion" and is the genetic material packed in a protein shell. Viruses come in many genetic sizes, as little as 4 proteins up to 200 proteins.
Immunoflourescent detection of Cytomegalovirus (Image: CDC USA)
Viral infection causes systemic infection and extensive brain damage and cell death by necrosis.
Note also that many cancers can be caused by viruses (papilloma viruses, hepatitis B and C viruses, Epstein-Barr virus and human T-cell lymphotropic virus). Virus-induced cancers account for about 20% of worldwide cancer incidence.
Page Links: Introduction | Some Recent Findings | References | WWW Links | Glossary
Munro SC, Hall B, Whybin LR, Leader L, Robertson P, Maine GT, Rawlinson WD. Diagnosis of and screening for cytomegalovirus infection in pregnant women. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Sep;43(9):4713-8. "No single diagnostic test for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is currently available for pregnant women at all stages of gestation. Improved accuracy in estimating the timing of primary infections can be used to identify women at higher risk of giving birth to congenitally infected infants. ....Women infected with CMV during late gestation may be more likely to transmit the virus, so failure to detect seroconversions in late gestation may result in failure to detect infected neonates."
Below is a list of some known maternal, then fetal and postnatal infections that impact upon development.
Only a very brief overview is given, for more details see the listed internal and external links.
(More? Viral Infection, Rubella, Herpes Simplex Virus, Polio, Lassa virus)
The Australian NHMRC (1988) recommends neonates be assessed for follow-up care under the following conditions.
(see the NHMRC WWW Page)
CDC (USA)
Public Health Training Network Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (viewable Webcasts requires Media Player) |
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommendations
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK)
Infection and Pregnancy - study group recommendations (Jun 2001)
Reviews | Articles | Search NCBI Bookshelf | Search PubMed | Glossary
Reviews
Degani S. Sonographic findings in fetal viral infections: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2006 May;61(5):329-36.
Giles ML, Garland SM, Grover SR, Lewin SM, Hellard ME. Impact of an education campaign on management in pregnancy of women infected with a blood-borne virus. Med J Aust. 2006 Apr 17;184(8):389-92.
Munro SC, Hall B, Whybin LR, Leader L, Robertson P, Maine GT, Rawlinson WD. Diagnosis of and screening for cytomegalovirus infection in pregnant women. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Sep;43(9):4713-8.
Bailao LA, Osborne NG, Rizzi MC, Bonilla-Musoles F, Duarte G, Bailao TC. Ultrasound markers of fetal infection part 1: viral infections. Ultrasound Q. 2005 Dec;21(4):295-308.
Slowik MK, Jhaveri R. Hepatitis B and C viruses in infants and young children. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. 2005 Oct;16(4):296-305.
Articles
Revello MG, Zavattoni M, Furione M, Fabbri E, Gerna G. Preconceptional primary human cytomegalovirus infection and risk of congenital infection. J Infect Dis. 2006 Mar 15;193(6):783-7.
Search NCBI Bookshelf:
Medical Microbiology: Cytomegalovirus | Search Medical Microbiology "Cytomegalovirus"
Search NCBI Bookshelf: prenatal viral infection | Medical Microbiology - prenatal viral infection
Search PubMed: Search June 2006 "Cytomegalovirus" 29,640 reference articles of which 3,506 were reviews.
Search term = Cytomegalovirus | prenatal Cytomegalovirus | prenatal viral infection |
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Alcohol "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome"
Viral Infection
cytomegalovirus
Trauma
These links require online access to Merck Manuals on Women's Health Issues. http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual_home2/sec22/sec22.jsp
Risk Factors Present Before Pregnancy
Risk Factors That Develop During Pregnancy
Diseases that complicate Pregnancy
Problems Affecting the Fetus or Newborn
Mitral Valve Prolapse
High Blood Pressure
Anemias
Kidney Disease
Infectious Disease
Diabetes
Thyroid
Liver
Asthma
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Myasthenia Gravis
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
>Surgery During Pregnancy
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Malnutrition
Infection
Trauma
see also Normal Childhood Development
You should look at normal development of the effected systems in the embryo. Development Notes
Alternatively, go on to look at Systematic Development of organs and tissues.
For those wanting to see dynamic processes of development (and have a reasonably quick connection) then the Movies pages are good for watching changes occur.
The study of human development has relied extensively on studying the process in other model animals. For those wanting to see the process of development in other species then the other embryos pages are a good start.
Home Page
Embryo stages
Fetal Dev
Dev Notes 1
Dev Notes 2
System Notes
Acknowledgements
Abnormal Development
Australian Statistics
Abnormalities by Systems
Prenatal Diagnosis
Fetal Origins Hypothesis
Intrauterine Growth Retardation
Twinning
Genetic Abnormalities
Down Syndrome
Edwards Syndrome
Maternal Factors
Neural Tube Defects
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Smoking
Chemical
Drugs
Radiation
Heavy Metal
Iodine Deficiency
Viral Infection
Cytomegalovirus
Rubella
Parvovirus
Varicella
Databases
NINDS Factsheets
Movies
Audio
Class Notes
Serial Images
K12 Students
Abnormal
Viral Infection
Embryology in the News
Histology
Site Map
School of Med Sci
UNSW Medicine
University of NSW
UNSW Cell Biology
NCBI Books
Dev Biol (Gilbert)
Maternal infections can impact on normal development. These effects can be directly by virus crossing the placental barrier and infecting the developing embryo, or indirectl due to the impact on the mother, for example the effects of fever.
Often the developmental impact can be variable, depending on the time during development that the infection takes place, the "critical periods".
More recently there has been great concern with viruses which appear to now be crossing species and i nfecting humans, the "bird flu", which could have dire consequences in this global community in which we now live.
This page lists a few know viruses that can impact upon development.
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.