[Congenital varicella syndrome - is it infectious?]

A 30-year-old gravida 2 suffered from chickenpox in the 13th week of gestation. In the 38th week of gestation she delivered by caesarean section a baby with typical congenital varicella syndrome (CVS). In the serum of the newborn IgG antibodies but no IgM or IgA antibodies were found by VZV ELISA test (Enzygnost Behring). On the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th days of life, VZV DNA was detectable in the cerebrospinal fluid by PCR in elevated copy numbers as well as in the fluid of skin lesions on the 3rd day of life in higher copy numbers, on the 11th day of life it was still detectable in low copy numbers. In the EDTA blood samples taken on the 5th day of life VZV DNA was detectable in low copy numbers. The positive VZV DNA detection in skin lesions led to the conclusion that newborns with CVS and skin lesions should be considered as infectious until the time of crusting and isolated in nursery care.