Influenza A virus antigens in children with congenital pathology of central nervous system]

The latent circulation of influenza A virus in nursing home children with congenital central nervous abnormality was studied during 1989-1993 by the present-day diagnostic methods for detection of viral antigens. The influenza A virus antigen detection rates correlated with age, genetic predisposition, prior acute respiratory diseases in mothers during their pregnancy. There is evidence for long-term (up to 17 months) detection of influenza virus antigens in nasal secretions, as well as for prolonged (up to 7 months) detection of the same genomic sequences of HA gene both in leukocytes and nasal washes.