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Intracerebral varicella-zoster virus reactivation in congenital varicella syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2003

A Sauerbrei ,
J Pawlak ,
C Luger  and
P Wutzler
A Sauerbrei
Affiliation:
Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy, Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Germany.
J Pawlak
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Regional Hospital, Vöcklabruck, Austria.
C Luger
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology, and Tropical Medicine, Elisabethinen Hospital Linz, Austria.
P Wutzler
Affiliation:
Institute of Virology and Antiviral Therapy, Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena, Germany.
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Abstract

Patients with congenital varicella syndrome (CVS) typically present with clinical symptoms consisting of skin lesions, neurological defects, eye diseases, and/or limb hypoplasia. In rare cases, isolated manifestations in the brain or eye have been reported. The varicella-zoster virus (VZV), as the causative agent of CVS, could only be detected in a few infants with CVS. In addition, there is little in the literature on antiviral treatment of infants born with signs of CVS. We report a case of CVS in a male infant who presented with generalized clonic cerebral seizures at age 4 months. An endogenous intracerebral viral reactivation following intrauterine VZV infection was assumed. After the diagnosis was confirmed virologically, acyclovir was administered intravenously for 10 days and afterwards orally for 3 weeks. This antiviral treatment was aimed at preventing progression of the disease. We concluded from this case that infants with intrauterine VZV infection can suffer intracerebral VZV reactivations that require antiviral treatment.

Type
Case Report
Information
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology , Volume 45 , Issue 12 , December 2003 , pp. 837 - 840
Copyright
© 2003 Mac Keith Press

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