Virological diagnosis and management of two cases of congenital measles

• Published in: Journal of medical virology 2013-12, Vol.85 (12), p.2136-2138
• Main Authors: Giusti, Delphine, Burette, Julie, Nguyen, Yohan, Lévêque, Nicolas, Graesslin, Olivier, Andreoletti, Laurent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Disease transmission; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunoglobulin M - immunology; immunoglobulin prophylaxis; Immunoglobulins; Infant, Newborn; Infectious disease; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; Measles; Measles - diagnosis; Measles - transmission; Measles virus - genetics; Measles virus - immunology; Medical diagnosis; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; mother-to-child transmission; Pregnancy; Serotyping; Viral diseases; virological diagnosis; Virology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.23702

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection causing congenital infections with a risk of neurological complications in the newborn. Two cases of measles, which occurred in pregnant women within 14 days before the delivery, are described. Mother‐to‐child transmission of the virus was documented in the newborns either by RT‐PCR in saliva or by IgM detection in blood. The measles strains evidenced in saliva samples were genotyped and belonged to the D4 Genotype. An early viral RT‐PCR detection allowed successful immunoglobulin prophylaxis in one newborn taking into account that the duration between the onset of the skin rash in the mother and the delivery was less than 6 days. Twenty‐four months later, none of the newborns developed classical or neurological clinical signs of measles infection. Measles RT‐PCR assay in salivary samples can be used before symptoms develop in the infant to confirm early mother‐to‐child transmission, therefore permitting the use of an immunoglobulin prophylaxis in the newborn. J. Med. Virol. 85:2136–2138, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.