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Brief
This research investigated the immune environment within placental tissue from stillborn babies infected with the Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) virus and then used a novel in vitro model of placental infection to confirm these findings.
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Background
Human cytomegalovirus(CMV) can cause a number of serious birth defects to the developing baby including mental disability, hearing and vision loss and in the most severe cases result in fetal death.
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Key takeaways
The research found the placenta from stillborn babies naturally infected with CMV had a shift from a balanced immune environment towards a more pro-inflammatory state. Furthermore, infection of cell cultures in vitro showed this pro-inflammatory shift was most likely a direct cellular response to CMV replication within infected cells of the placenta.
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Key contributors
Research Institution: Virology Division, SEALS Microbiology, Prince of Wales Hospital and the University of New South Wales
Chief Investigator: Professor William Rawlinson
Other Investigators: Stuart Hamilton, Dr Gillian Scott -
Full report
Read the full report here.
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Funding amount
$30,000
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