Microbiology laboratory and the management of mother-child varicella-zoster virus infection

Table 1 Anti-varicella-zoster virus seroprevalence rates in women in some countries with a temperate climate

Country	Population	Age	Anti-VZV seroprevalence (%)	Ref.
United Kingdom	Pregnant women	Mean 28 yr	95.8	[301]
United Kingdom	Pregnant women	Mean 28 yr	94.8	[308]
Spain	Women	19-39 yr	92.3	[309]
Spain	Women	Not reported	95.3	[313]
Holland	Women	Mean 47 yr	93	[311]
Holland	Women	Mean 29 yr	100	[312]
Slovenia	Women of childbearing age	15-49 yr	97.2	[314]
Croatia	Women (12% pregnant)	Not reported	84.3	[315]
France	Women	Mean 30.4 yr	98.8	[316]
Germany	Pregnant women	Mean 28 yr	96.7	[317]
Finland	Pregnant women	Mean 30 yr	95	[318]
Italy	Women	15-39 yr	87.4	[321]
Italy	Pregnant women	15-49 yr	89.4	[310]

VZV: Varicella-zoster virus.

Table 2 Seroprevalence rates in some tropical countries

Country	Population	Seroprevalence (%)	Ref.
St.Lucia (Caribbean)	40-year-old	> 70	[123]
Tropical islands	Pregnant women	84	[131]
Bolivia	Women of child-bearing age	88.4	[322]
Singapore	15-24 yr	40	[95]
	25-34 yr	> 80
India	17-20 yr	30	[130]
India	Adults (rural areas)	68.9	[134]
	Adults (urban areas)	96.6
Iran	Pregnant women	78.5	[323]
Saudi Arabia	Pregnant women	74.4	[324]
Singapore	15-24 yr	40	[515]
	25-34 yr	> 80

Table 3 Prenatal congenital varicella syndrome diagnosis combining ultrasoonography and a search for varicella-zoster virus DNA in amniotic fluid[90]

Weeks of pregnancy	VZV DNA in amniocentesis	Ultrasound	Risk of CVS
Initial
17-21	Positive	Normal	Uncertain
Follow-up
23-24	Positive	Normal	Unlikely
	Positive	Abnormal	High
15-22/> 23	Negative	Normal	Low

VZV: Varicella-zoster virus; CVS: Congenital varicella syndrome.