Fetal enteroviral infection with cerebral ventriculomegaly and cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly and cardiomyopathy were diagnosed prenatally at 35 weeks and resulted in fetal death. Although there was no post mortem pathological evidence of inflammatory lesions, fetal serum alpha interferon was abnormally high (25 IU/ml). Virologic investigations were therefore carried out on stored amniotic fluid, fetal and maternal blood samples. The presence of enterovirus was retrospectively demonstrated in amniotic fluid. The association of fetal birth defects with enteroviral infection is puzzling and suggests that more attention should be given to virologic studies in the diagnostic workup of fetal malformations otherwise considered as idiopathic.