Genitourinary anomaly in congenital varicella syndrome: case report and review

Abstract

We describe a 1-year-old boy with congenital varicella syndrome who had vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and neurogenic bladder. His mother had varicella during the 3rd month of pregnancy. At birth the patient presented with right microphthalmia, right microcornea, and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous of the right eye. He had chronic constipation from 3 months of age. He had urinary tract infection at 1 year of age. Urological investigation revealed left grade V VUR and neurogenic bladder. His varicella zoster virus IgG titer measured by ELISA was 39.4 antibody index (normal <0.1). He had repeated episodes of urinary tract infection despite antibiotic prophylaxis and clean intermittent catheterization, and underwent a uretero-vesiconeostomy at 2 years of age. Maternal infection during early pregnancy and the serological evidence of varicella zoster IgG antibodies without a history of varicella after birth led to the diagnosis of congenital varicella syndrome. Urogenital anomalies have previously been described in 14 cases of congenital varicella syndrome. Most of these patients had neurogenic bladder, the pathophysiology of which could be explained by the known neurotropic nature of the virus.

Association of hypospadias and cardiac defect in a Parvovirus B19-infected stillborn: A causality relation?

“…neurogenic bladder. 27 An etiological association between intrauterine viral or in particular PB19 infection and genital teratogenicity is difficult to be established. However, the growing number of reported cases and the observation of infertility in sows after Parvovirus infection 28 raise concern for the impact of the infection on the pathophysiology of genitourinary birth defects.…”

Genitourinary anomaly in congenital varicella syndrome

“…We read with interest the article entitled "Genitourinary anomaly in congenital varicella syndrome: case report and review" by Fujita et al [1] in the May 2004 issue of Pediatric Nephrology. The authors described a 1-year-old boy with congenital varicella syndrome who had vesicoureteric reflux and neurogenic bladder.…”

Fetal varicella – diagnosis, management, and outcome

“…29 Diffuse spinal cord scarring has been described. 30 Autonomic nervous system denervation can result in laryngeal paralysis, 31 Ramsay-Hunt syndrome 32 diaphragmatic paralysis, intestinal atresia, 33,34 neurogenic bladder, 35 hydroureter, esophageal dilation, and reflux. 36 Intractable gastroesophageal reflux or diaphragmatic paralysis can result in respiratory failure, which may be fatal.…”