Fatal neonatal varicella infection despite intravenous immunoglobulin at birth
Mohammad Yusuf Ali Mazhari1, Anukriti Agnihotry2, Mayank Priyadarshi3
1Senior Resident, Department of Neonatology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.
There is a high risk of severe varicella infection in the neonate when the mother develops a rash around the time of delivery. Current guidelines recommend separation of mother-baby dyad and passive immunization to prevent severe infection in such cases. We report a case of severe varicella in a neonate whose mother developed primary varicella infection two days prior to delivery. The neonate had a fatal outcome despite physical separation from mother and passive immunization in the immediate postnatal period.
There is a high risk of severe varicella infection in the neonate when the mother develops a rash around the time of delivery. Current guidelines recommend separation of mother-baby dyad and passive immunization to prevent severe infection in such cases. We report a case of severe varicella in a neonate whose mother developed primary varicella infection two days prior to delivery. The neonate had a fatal outcome despite physical separation from mother and passive immunization in the immediate postnatal period.
Related Concept Videos
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...


