Neurotropic viruses and cerebral palsy: population based case-control study

Date

2006

Authors

Gibson, C.
MacLennan, A.
Goldwater, P.
Haan, E.
Priest, K.
Dekker, G.

Editors

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Type:

Journal article

Citation

The BMJ, 2006; 332(7533):76-79

Statement of Responsibility

Catherine S. Gibson, Alastair H. MacLennan, Paul N. Goldwater, Eric A. Haan, Kevin Priest and Gustaaf A. Dekker.

Conference Name

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between cerebral palsy and direct evidence for perinatal exposure to neurotropic viruses. Design: Population based case-control study. Setting: Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital Research Laboratory. Participants and main outcome measures: Newborn screening cards of 443 white case patients with cerebral palsy and 883 white controls were tested for viral nucleic acids from enteroviruses and herpes viruses by using polymerase chain reaction. Herpes group A viruses included herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), and herpes group B viruses included varicella zoster virus (VZV) and human herpes viruses 6 and 7 (HHV-6 and HHV-7). Results: The prevalence of viral nucleic acids in the control population was high: 39.8% of controls tested positive, and the prevalence was highest in preterm babies. The detection of herpes group B viral nucleic acids increased the risk of developing cerebral palsy (odds ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.59). Conclusions: Perinatal exposure to neurotropic viruses is associated with preterm delivery and cerebral palsy.

School/Discipline

Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Access Status

Rights

© 2006 BMJ Publishing Group

License

Grant ID

Call number

Persistent link to this record