Congenital Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection: Decade of Rediscovery

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an underdiagnosed fetal teratogen. This diagnosis should be considered for infants and children with unexplained hydrocephalus, micro- or macrocephaly, intracranial calcifications, chorioretinitis, and nonimmune hydrops. The immunofluorescent antibody tes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical infectious diseases 2001-08, Vol.33 (3), p.370-374
Main Authors: Strausbaugh, Larry J., Barton, Leslie L., Mets, Marilyn B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
Chorioretinitis
Communicable Diseases, Emerging
Congenital infection
Cytomegalovirus
Diagnosis, Differential
Emerging Infections
Female
Fetus
Human viral diseases
Humans
Hydrocephalus
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infants
Infections
Infectious diseases
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis - congenital
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis - diagnosis
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis - prevention & control
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis - transmission
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus
Medical sciences
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - diagnosis
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - prevention & control
Rodents
United States
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the nervous system
Viruses
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Description
Summary:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an underdiagnosed fetal teratogen. This diagnosis should be considered for infants and children with unexplained hydrocephalus, micro- or macrocephaly, intracranial calcifications, chorioretinitis, and nonimmune hydrops. The immunofluorescent antibody test is the only reasonable, commercially available, screening diagnostic tool. The differential diagnosis of congenital LCMV infection includes toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, enteroviruses, human parvovirus B12, and syphilis. The infection has also been misdiagnosed as various neurologic, ophthalmologic, and chromosomal syndromes. Further research, to determine the prevalence of this infection in human and rodent populations, and prospective studies, to delineate the clinical spectrum of congenital infection, are needed. The public and members of the medical profession should be made aware of the hazard that wild, pet, and laboratory rodents pose to pregnant women.
ISSN:1058-4838
1537-6591
DOI:10.1086/321897