No abstract

In October 2014, an outbreak of 12 autochthonous chikungunya cases, 11 confirmed and 1 probable, was detected in a district of Montpellier, a town in the south of France colonised by the vector Aedes albopictus since 2010. A case returning from Cameroon living in the affected district was identified as the primary case. The epidemiological investigations and the repeated vector control treatments performed in the area and around places frequented by cases helped to contain the outbreak. In 2014, the chikungunya and dengue surveillance system in mainland France was challenged by numerous imported cases due to the chikungunya epidemic ongoing in the Caribbean Islands. This first significant outbreak of chikungunya in Europe since the 2007 Italian epidemic, however, was due to an East Central South African (ECSA) strain, imported by a traveller returning from West Africa. Important lessons were learned from this episode, which reminds us that the threat of a chikungunya epidemic in southern Europe is real.

Perinatal route of transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) has been demonstrated in several small studies. We designed a large prospective cohort study (HERITAGE) to better understand perinatal HPV. The objective of this article is to present the study design and preliminary data. In the first phase of the study, we recruited 167 women in Montreal, Canada, during the first trimester of pregnancy. An additional 850 are currently being recruited in the ongoing phase. Cervicovaginal samples were obtained from mothers in the first trimester and tested for HPV DNA from 36 mucosal genotypes (and repeated in the third trimester for HPV-positive mothers). Placental samples were also taken for HPV DNA testing. Conjunctival, oral, pharyngeal and genital samples were collected for HPV DNA testing in children of HPV-positive mothers at every 3–6 months from birth until 2 years of age. Blood samples were collected in mother and children for HPV serology testing. We found a high prevalence of HPV in pregnant women (45%[95%CI:37–53%]) and in placentas (14%[8–21%]). The proportion of HPV positivity (any site) among children at birth/3-months was 11%[5–22%]. HPV was detected in children in multiple sites including the conjunctiva (5%[10–14%]). The ongoing HERITAGE cohort will help provide a better understanding of perinatal HPV.

IMPORTANCE Preterm birth remains a leading cause of perinatal mortality and lifelong morbidity worldwide. The cause of most preterm births is unknown, although several infectious processes have been implicated.OBJECTIVE To assess whether human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a frequent infection among women of childbearing age, is associated with preterm birth.