Cytomegalovirus among Aborted Women in Abyan Governorate -Yemen

Background: The cytomegalovirus can cause potentially life-threatening complications in infected pregnant women and fetuses.


Objective: This study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of IgG and IgM against CMV among aborted women in Abyan Governorate, Yemen, and to determine the number and trimesters of abortions as well as other related risk factors that may contribute to transmission of the virus among those women.


Methods: A total of 105 women were enrolled in this analytical cross-sectional study. The blood samples were collected from all women, and the sera were separated; then the anti-CMV IgG and IgM were determined using commercially available ECLIA techniques. The data was analyzed using SPSS.


Results: The overall seroprevalence of IgG against CMV infections was 104 (99.0%) and 4 (3.8%), respectively. The highest rates of IgG seropositivity among aborted women were 41 (100%) and 25 (100%) in the age groups 26–35 years and >35 years, respectively; 19 (100%) and 41 (100%) among illiterate women and those who had secondary school education, respectively; 25 (100%) among women living in urban areas; 50 (100%) and 3 (100%) among women who had medium and high socioeconomic status, respectively; and 12 (100%) among women who had private work. In contrast, the rates of IgM antibodies were high: 2 (5.1%) among women in the age groups <25 years, 5.3% among illiterate women, 4% among women who were living in urban areas, 5.2% among women with low income, and 4.3% among housewives. The positive anti-HCMV IgG and IgM had no significant association with number, trimester, symptoms, and other related factors.


Conclusion: The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies of CMV infections among aborted women in Abyan. Women living in urban areas had the high­est rates of both anti-HCMV IgG and IgM antibodies. Seroprevalence of anti-HCMV IgG and IgM were different according to the sociodemographic status of women. There was no significant association between the seroprevalence of anti-HCMV IgG and IgM and the number and time of abortion, symptoms, and other risk factors.