Viral Etiology of Complete Hydatidiform Moles (CHM)

Complete hydatidiform moles (CHM) are the most common forms of gestational trophoblastic disease. CHM prevalence rate is higher in Kerala, India as compared to other parts of the world. The etiology of this disease is not yet clearly understood. Reports and observations suggest conceptual alterations, which could be due to involvement of viruses or carcinogens rather than host factors. In this study, the association of the common genital viruses with this disease was examined in 105 cases of CHM and 95 cases of normal placentae using immunohistochemistry, ELISA and PCR techniques. Present study suggests an association of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection with this disease while no association was noticed with other genital viruses such as Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV). This is the second report in world literature and first in Indian literature showing such an association.