Maternal-Foetal Transplacental Transmission of Congenital Pathogens in Kogi State, North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

Transplacental transmission refers to the transfer of infectious agents from a mother to her fetus, primarily through vertical transmission. Therefore, this study investigated the occurrence of maternal-foetal transplacental transmission of congenital pathogens from pregnant mothers to Child in Kogi State, in order to highlights the need for early detection and management of these infections during pregnancy to prevent adverse outcomes for both mother and child. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving total of 368 
participants. This comprised 184 umbilical cord blood samples of the newborn babies and 184 mothers' arterial blood samples. Blood samples were collected from both the pregnant women and their newborns, and tested for various congenital pathogens using standard Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods. The results showed that a significant number of pregnant women were positive for at least one congenital pathogen, with the most common being Herpes Simplex Virus, Cytomegalovirus and Plasmodium falciparum, However, a considerable number of newborns were found to have congenital infections, with the most common being Congenital Herpes Simplex Virus, Plasmodium falciparum and Cytomegalovirus. The study also revealed that there was a high rate of vertical transmission of these pathogens, with 100% Herpes Simplex Virus and Cytomegalovirus, 75% Plasmodium falciparum and 50% each for Rubella virus and reponema pallidum cases of congenital infections. This study provided an important insight into the prevalence of maternal-fetal transplacental transmission of congenital pathogens in Kogi State, North Central, Nigeria., with emphasis on the importance of Implementing effective screening and prevention strategies to reduce the burden of congenital infections in this region