[Virological tests in diagnostic management of sudden unexpected deaths in children]

Based on the present knowledge, the review paper attempts to answer the general question whether virological tests are justified in cases of sudden deaths in children. In particular, the question addresses their importance in establishing the cause of death. The authors also attempt to answer additional questions, namely: (1) whether histopathology provides an adequate basis for establishing the cause of death, (2) whether extending histological evaluation to exclude immunohistochemistry is warranted, and (3) whether there is a correlation between detection of a virus and "intensity" of inflammatory infiltration detected by histology. At the same time, the present paper is an introduction to discussing the results of research in the above field carried out by the authors. In cases of sudden deaths of chil- dren, numerous investigators point to a viral infection as a significant etiopathogenic factor. Nevertheless, no uniform strategy has been developed to date in post-mortem diagnostic management in this field. This is also true with respect to answering what viruses should be isolated and by what techniques when sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and/or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) are suspected. The review of the literature on the subject allows for stating that virological tests are not justified in all cases of SIDS/SUDI, the more so that these tests are not commonly available and inexpensive. Detection of a virus rarely allows for determining the cause of death, demonstrating only the presence of the virus in the tested material. On numerous occasions, demonstrating the presence of a virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has not been in any way reflected in basic and extended histology. In the opinion of the authors, in cases of SIDS/SUDI suspicion, while determining the cause of death, primarily basic histological tests are recommended, as they are the most valuable screening tests. In justified cases basic tests should be extended to include additional immunohistochemical tests, and in exceptional cases--PCR to isolate a virus. PCR may be performed both in frozen and in formalin/paraffin fixed material.