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Emerging Infections and Pregnancy
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Emerging Infections and Pregnancy

Denise J. Jamieson, Regan N. Theiler and Sonja A. Rasmussen
Emerging infectious diseases, Vol.12(11), pp.1638-1643
11/01/2006
DOI: 10.3201/eid1211.060152
PMCID: PMC3372330
PMID: 17283611
url
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1211.060152View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Immunologic changes of pregnancy may increase susceptibility to certain intracellular pathogens. A key component of the response to emerging infections is consideration of special populations, including pregnant women. Successful pregnancy depends on adaptation of the woman's immune system to tolerate a genetically foreign fetus. Although the immune system changes are not well understood, a shift from cell-mediated immunity toward humoral immunity is believed to occur. These immunologic changes may alter susceptibility to and severity of infectious diseases in pregnant women. For example, pregnancy may increase susceptibility to toxoplasmosis and listeriosis and may increase severity of illness and increase mortality rates from influenza and varicella. Compared with information about more conventional disease threats, information about emerging infectious diseases is quite limited. Pregnant women's altered response to infectious diseases should be considered when planning a response to emerging infectious disease threats.
emerging infectious diseases immunology pregnancy synopsis

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