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Chronic Villitis
Etiology

Approximately 5% associated with viral infections such as CMV or parvovirus B19, listeria or other organisms
Vast majority are non-specific or of unknown etiology
Pathogenesis

In cases caused by organisms the infection reaches the placenta via the maternal circulation
The organisms breach the villi and involve the stroma with a fetal inflammatory response
In non-specific villitis the cells first accumulate in the intervillous space ("intervillositis") and then cross into the villus stroma
These cells are maternal CD3+ T cells.
Other studies suggest that cells within the villus may be either fetal or maternal in origin.,
Epidemiology

Between 5-10% of consecutive pregnancies
Recurrent if not infectious
Associated with intrauterine growth retardation and poor pregnancy outcome
General Gross Description

May have pale granular appearance to villi
Usually normal
•Examples:
General Microscopic Description

Mononuclear inflammation in the intervillus space
Erosion of the trophoblast and trophoblast necrosis resulting in an irregular villus outline
Agglutination of the villi
Mononuclear inflammation within the villus stroma
Plasma cells and lymphocytes as well as inclusions may be seen in viral infections
Eventual destruction of the fetal circulation with hemosiderin deposition
End result is avascular villus
•Examples:
Chronic villitis 4x Chronic villitis 10x Chronic villitis 20x Chronic villitis 40x
References

Benirschke K, Kaufmann P. Pathology of the human placenta, 3rd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1995, pp. 596-601.

For Most Current Information Search Medline at National Library of Medicine
This link will directly take you to the relevant new literature
Chronic Villitis
Synopsis by: Melinda Sanders M.D. (T88220M43000)[381]
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