Pregnancy loss ascribable to parvovirus B19/erythrovirus is associated with a high prevalence of trisomy.

Introduction: In most cases of stillbirth, the cause is still unknown.

Aim: The impact of parvovirus B19/erythrovirus infection and chromosomal abnormalities in stillborns and neonatal deaths.

Material And Methods: 57 consecutive cases, 23 second-trimester abortions (from gestational weeks 16 to 22), 27 intrauterine fetal deaths (from gestational week 22 onwards) and 7 early neonatal deaths were examined for intrauterine parvovirus B19 infection with PCR, dot blot, Southern blot, in situ hybridization, specific IgM and IgG antibodies in maternal serum, fetal serum, placenta and fetal liver tissue.

Taxation and life expectancy in Western Europe.

With the exception of Denmark, life expectancy in Western Europe has shown a significant increase over the last decades. During that period of time overall taxation has increased in most of the countries, especially in Denmark. We, therefore, examined whether taxation could influence life expectancy in Western Europe.

Neospora caninum infection and repeated abortions in humans.

To determine whether Neospora caninum, a parasite known to cause repeated abortions and stillbirths in cattle, also causes repeated abortions in humans, we retrospectively examined serum samples of 76 women with a history of abortions for evidence of N. caninum infection. No antibodies to the parasite were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence assay, or Western blot.