Cytomegalovirus infection as a possible underlying factor in neonatal surgical conditions

The seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in France is about 38%. Fetal contamination during pregnancy is 40%. We report a series of gastrointestinal conditions associated with CMV in neonates.

This is a retrospective study on neonates operated on for gastrointestinal conditions in our institution between January 1998 and December 2002. Only children with suspected CMV infection (characteristic nuclear inclusions) on pathologic examination were reviewed. We analyzed the age of onset, the clinical and radiologic presentation, and the serologic findings in mother and child.

The study included 3 boys and 2 girls. The average gestational age was 34.4 weeks (range, 28-39 weeks) and the average birth weight was 2364 g (range, 790-3580 g). Two infants had necrotizing enterocolitis, 2 had pathologic condition related to Meckel's diverticulum (volvulus and perforation, respectively), and 1 had distal ileal atresia. All surgical specimens showed characteristic CMV nuclear inclusions. Maternal serologic studies were positive for CMV in only 1 case with CMV IgM detected in serum. Two babies had a positive serological finding for CMV with detection of CMV IgM, and 2 had CMV isolated on urinary viral culture (one had both).

Cytomegalovirus is a viral agent that may be involved in surgical pathology in neonates. To confirm the causal relationship between CMV and these pathologic findings, a large-scale longitudinal prospective screening of CMV in neonates with intestinal conditions should be performed.