The virus responsible for respiratory infections and promoting the development of asthma may be passed on to an unborn child, reports PLOS ONE.
The results of a study conducted in rats by scientists from the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital (USA) indicate that there is a high risk that RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) will pass from the mother’s respiratory tract through the placenta, infecting the fetus.
Until now, it was believed that a dangerous virus that causes diseases of the lower respiratory tract (bronchiolitis, pneumonia) in infants and young children, only threatens newborn babies.
It is now known that infection may come sooner.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that early RSV infection predisposes children to recurrent episodes of wheezing and asthma, warns Giovanni Piedimonte, who was involved in the study.
Researchers implanted RSV in pregnant rats and observed that the virus inflicted 30 percent of the infection. fetuses, and was also detected in 40 percent. newborn rodents and in 25 percent. animals that have reached maturity. (PAP)
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