Effects of morphine on replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2

Several drugs are being used in treatment of HSV (Herpesviridae) infection in human but still introducing an effective safe drug is desirable. We investigated the inhibitory effect of morphine on replication of HSV in vitro. The results indicated that a concentration of up to 200 ìg/ml morphine had a limited effect on Vero cell viability. At this concentration, the growth of HSV was inhibited considerably and after the third passage in presence of morphine it was completely eliminated. The presence of viral antigens in infected cells in presence of morphine by immunoflourescent staining showed that after the first passage a small number of infected cells contained viral proteins and at the third passage no cells with viral antigen was observed. This was confirmed by page and immunobloting techniques. Electronmicroscopy observation in cellular section indicated that there was no virus present in treated cells as compared with control untreated infected cells

Cytomegalovirus infection in primiparous pregnant women and their neonates

Cytomegaloviurs (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection in humans. In various parts of the world the prevalence of antibodies to CMV ranges from 40-100%. The prevalence of primary infection with CMV in pregnant Iranian women and risk of congenital CMV infection in their neonates are unknown. To Determine the prevalence of CMV infection in primiparous pregnant (youner) women and incidence rate of cangenital CMV infection among preterm and full-term infants borned from these women, in serum of 164 primigravid women before delivery, CMV IgG and IgM antibodies were measured by ELISA method and CMV-DNA detection by PCR in ~10% of their infants. 100% of women were immune to CMV infection (CMV-IgG positive) were detected in mothers and newborns. Therefore, we can not compare gestational age and weight of infants in seropositive and serongegative mothers. Probably, in Iranian pregnant women, CMV screening test is not recommended