Congenital Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Syndrome: A Disease That Mimics Congenital Toxoplasmosis or Cytomegalovirus Infection

Abstract

Results. Twenty-six infants with serologically confirmed congenital LCM virus infection were identified. Twenty-two infants were products of term gestations, and birth weights ranged from 2384 to 4400 g (median, 3520 g). Ocular abnormalities, macrocephaly, or microcephaly were the most commonly identified neonatal features. Twentyone infants (88%) had chorioretinopathy, 10 (43%) had macrocephaly (head circumference >90th percentile) at birth, and 3 (13%) were microcephalic (head circumference <10th percentile). Macrocephaly and hydrocephalus developed postnatally in one of the latter infants. Hydrocephalus or intracranial calcifications were documented in five infants by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Nine infants (35%) died, and 10 (63%) of the 16 reported survivors had severe neurologic sequelae, consisting of spastic quadriparesis, seizures, visual loss, or mental retardation. One-half of the mothers reported illnesses compatible with LCM virus infection, and 25% reported exposures to rodents during their pregnancies.Conclusions. These cases suggest that congenital LCM virus infection could be an underrecognized cause of congenital infection among infants born in the United States. Because of the clinical similarities of these congenital infections, cases of congenital LCM virus infection can be confused with infections with cytomegalovirus or Toxoplasma gondii. Pediatrics 1997;100(1). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/100/1/e9; congenital infection, arenavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis.

Maternal environmental risk factors for congenital hydrocephalus: a systematic review

“…6 This study reported on a 28-year-old woman with a diagnosis of EV71 infection during pregnancy, whose obstetric ultrasonograms at 25 weeks of gestation revealed mild fetal hydrocephalus, among other abnormalities. An LCM virus infection, a rarely detected congenital infection, was investigated in 1 case series study, 29 in which 26 cases of LCM virus infection were identified. All 26 patients had hydrocephalus, documented by CT or MRI.…”

Diseases of the central nervous system caused by lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and other arenaviruses

“…LCMV infection in a pregnant woman can spread to the fetus, resulting in abortion early in pregnancy (Deibel et al, 1975) or malformations, including hydrocephalus, intracranial calcifications, and chorioretinitis if the infection occurs later in pregnancy (Ackermann et al, 1974;Sheinbergas, 1975;Barton et al, 1993Barton et al, , 1996Wright et al, 1997;Marrie and Saron, 1998;Barton and Hyndman, 2000;Jamieson et al, 2006;Bonthius et al, 2007b). A study by Bonthius and colleagues (2007b) reports on 20 children with serologically confirmed congenital LCMV infection who were followed for up to 11 years.…”

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis infection of the central nervous system

“…Human transmission has been shown to occur in utero, upon transplantation with infected organs or upon contact with infected hamsters or laboratory animals (2)(3)(4). Congenital LCMV infection acts as an abortifacient and a fetal teratogen commonly manifested as chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus and microcephaly or macrocephaly (5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Adult infection with LCMV can lead to the development of fever, malaise, headaches, seizure and in some cases fatal meningitis (3,(10)(11)(12)(13).…”