Acquired cytomegalovirus infection in preterm infants
R. A. Ballard, W. L. Drew, K. G. Hufnagle and P. A. Riedel
Small sick preterm infants requiring care in a neonatal intensive care unit
for more than 28 days were cultured for cytomegalovirus in urine and/or
nasopharynx during two periods lasting a total of 13 months. Sixteen of 51
such infants began excreting the virus at 28 to 148 days of age (mean, 55
days). In 14 of the 16, a recognizable, self-limited symptom complex
developed that consisted of respiratory deterioration, hepatosplenomegaly,
a remarkable gray pallor, and both an atypical and absolute lymphocytosis.
All of the infants with the clinical symptom complex had underlying chronic
lung disease and all had received multiple blood transfusions during their
hospitalization. Acquired cytomegalovirus may be relatively common in sick
preterm infants and should be distinguished from other causes of rapid
deterioration.
