The role of congenital Enterovirus infection in the pathogenesis of suppurative and inflammatory diseases in newborn infants
: Newborns with suppurative-inflammatory disease were found to be at high risk of intrauterine infection with Coxsackie enteroviruses from mothers with persistent enterovirus infection; in 54.9%, congenital Coxsackie virus infection was confirmed by virus antigen identification in the urine sediment cells and autopsy material. Coxsackie A viruses were identified in 68.7% of sepsis cases, 42.6% with local purulent infection foci, and in only 6.7% of practically healthy neonates. Specific features of the clinical course are analysed together with the pathohistological picture of congenital enterovirus infection associated with the vertical virus transmission from the mother having a persistent form of this infection. A suggestion is proposed that the severe course of suppurative-inflammatory conditions and the general character of neonatal bacterial infection are largely determined by the immunodeficient states which are etiologically related to congenital enterovirus infections.