title: A rare infectious cause of severe neonatal skin lesions.
abstract: We present a case of a preterm infant of 28 weeks' gestation with unique cutaneous lesions characteristic of a congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 infection. The infant was prematurely delivered due to intractable labour. The mother had no history or clinical signs of genital infection before or during pregnancy. The infant's skin lesions were described as rough white-yellow plaques; a skin biopsy demonstrated calcified plaques and absent epidermis. HSV type 1 was later determined using PCR on the infant's skin biopsy and cerebral spinal fluid as well as the mother's vaginal swab and the placenta. Calcifications have already been described by Allee et al, alongside a diagnosis of HSV type 2. As is well known, the morbidity and mortality of congenital herpes infections are very high.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital UZA, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Demeulemeester
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Antwerp University Hospital UZA, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voeten
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Antwerp University Hospital, UZA, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jacquemyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Antwerp University Hospital UZA, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ludo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahieu
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007867:Leg Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir