[Toxoplasma, parvovirus and cytomegalovirus infections during pregnancy]

Toxoplasma gondii, parvovirus B19 and cytomegalovirus cause most of the non-bacterial infections of the fetus. These infections are complicated by the fact that maternal toxoplasma and cytomegalovirus infections are almost always symptomless, which is often the case for parvovirus infections as well. Indeed, suspicion of an intrauterine infection arises most commonly on the basis of a fetal abnormality--for instance, growth retardation, enlargement of the ventricles, or hydrops found in ultrasonography. Maternal infection is sometimes detected during screening of risk groups or testing exposed persons in connection with an epidemic of parvovirus infection.