Abstract
Background: Enteroviruses (EV) are an important cause of neonatal disease including hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, and myocarditis that can lead to death or severe long-term sequelae. Less is known about severe neonatal infection caused by the parechoviruses (PeV) of which type 1 (PeV1) and type 2 (PeV2) were previously known as echovirus 22 and echovirus 23. They belong to the same family of Picornaviridae as the EV. Of the PeV, so far only PeV3 has been associated in 2 recent reports with severe neonatal infection including involvement of central nervous system.
Clinical cases: Both neonates were admitted and treated for refractory septic shock and refractory focal fits. Investigations revealed structurally normal hearts with raised TroponinI with normal EEGs and USG head. However 1st neonate showed significant changes on MRI head and blood as well as CSF PCR revealed Parechovirus. Whereas second neonate had blood PCR positive for Parechovirus with normal cranial images.
Conclusion: HPeV is another important cause of viral sepsis and meningitis in neonate and young children that has frequently been undetected. HPeVspecific PCR should be included in viral diagnostic testing for CSF samples help diagnosis, duration of antibacterials, as well as prognosis. Continued research on neonates with HPEV-3 infection is neededto further understand this disease.
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Kumar, M. 1372 Severe Neonatal Central Nervous System Infection - a Rare Infection by Parechovirus 3. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 679 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01372
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01372