Congenital Varicella Encephalomyelitis in Surviving Newborn

Congenitalvaricella was reported as early as 1878 1 but is a relatively rare condition. In most previously reported cases 1-8 the mother contracted the disease near term and the infant was either born with a vesicular eruption or developed the typical rash so soon after birth that sources of infection other than intrauterine could be discounted. If the mother acquires the infection in the first trimester, abortion might occur. 9-10 However, complications of varicella in pregnancy seem to occur less frequently than previously feared 6,11 and a significant increase in fetal mortality is not evident with varicella. 12 The recent rubella epidemic has made physicians more acutely aware of some of the consequences of intra-uterine viral infection. This is a report of some observations recently made on an infant born of a mother who contracted varicella infection during early pregnancy. Report of a Case The mother was a 20-year-old