A rare infectious cause of severe neonatal skin lesions. (8th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Demeulemeester, Veronique; Voeten, Michiel; Jacquemyn, Yves; Mahieu, Ludo
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 2015
• Publication Date: 2015-10-08
• Subjects: Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2015-209460
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : We present a case of a preterm infant of 28 weeks' gestation with unique cutaneous lesions characteristic of a congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 infection. The infant was prematurely delivered due to intractable labour. The mother had no history or clinical signs of genital infection before or during pregnancy. The infant's skin lesions were described as rough white-yellow plaques; a skin biopsy demonstrated calcified plaques and absent epidermis. HSV type 1 was later determined using PCR on the infant's skin biopsy and cerebral spinal fluid as well as the mother's vaginal swab and the placenta. Calcifications have already been described by Allee et al, alongside a diagnosis of HSV type 2. As is well known, the morbidity and mortality of congenital herpes infections are very high.