Placental and fetal manifestations of cytomegalovirus infection.

Five cases of fetal cytomegalovirus infection are presented to illustrate the nature of the placental disease and the difference in fetal infectious sequelae. Widespread fetal infection occurred in very early dissemination of the virus with little inflammatory participation, In later stages both placental and fetal tissues sponsor an intense inflammatory infiltration with numerous plasma cells, and thrombotic phenomena are important sequelae. Viruria without recognizable disease was found in a newborn of a mother who suffered cervical virus infection in late pregnancy. I t is emphasized that villous inflammatory lesions are characteristically associated with fetal CMV infection. Their identification can lead to early clarification of neonatal disease states.