title: Intrauterine infection with coxsackievirus: is it a cause of congenital cardiac malformations?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although maternal infections with coxsackievirus during pregnancy are relatively common, fetal infections are quite rare. Coxsackievirus infection in utero has been associated with myocarditis, but has not been proven a teratogen.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient whose fetus had structural cardiac anomalies and hydrops was found to have an intrauterine infection with Coxsackie B-1 virus, proven by virus isolation from the amniotic fluid. This infection led to increasing intrauterine hydrops and subsequent neonatal death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This interesting association of intrauterine infection with Coxsackie B virus and structural cardiac anomalies in the fetus warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Medicine Sioux Valley Hospital University of South Dakota School of Medicine 1201 S. Euclid Avenue, Ste. 204 Sioux, Falls, SD 57105, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awadallah
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jaqua