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Am J Perinatol 2003; 20(2): 055-058
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-38319
Copyright © 2003 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Intrauterine Herpes Simplex Infection

George T. Vasileiadis1 , Henry W. Roukema1 , Walter Romano2 , John C. Walton3 , Robert Gagnon4
  • 1Division of Neonatology, University of Western Ontario, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada
  • 2Department of Radiology, University of Western Ontario, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada
  • 3Department of Pathology, University of Western Ontario, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada
  • 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Western Ontario, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada
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Publication History

Publication Date:
27 March 2003 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is usually acquired at birth. We present an infant with intrauterine HSV infection acquired after rupture of membranes. The infant was born prematurely to a woman with a first episode of genital herpetic infection in early pregnancy and rupture of membranes 11 days prior to delivery. The infant, at delivery had extensive brain damage, hemorrhage, and cystic encephalomalacia due to herpes infection. On 2nd day of life, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, suggested that the hemorrhage had occurred 7 to 14 days before the scan and the placental pathology was supportive of an ascending infection. The case of an ascending herpetic intrauterine infection after rupture of the membranes raises the question of prevention and suppressive antiviral therapy.

KEYWORDS

Herpes - neonatal - intrauterine

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