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Varicella-zoster virus, which is responsible for varicella chickenpox and herpes zoster shingles , is ubiquitous and causes an acute infection among children, especially those aged less than six years. The major maternal complications include pneumonia, which can lead to death if not treated. If the virus passes to the fetus, congenital varicella syndrome, neonatal varicella particularly serious if maternal rash appears in the days immediately before or after childbirth or herpes zoster in the early years of life may occur depending on the time of infection.
Keywords: Mother-child infection, Congenital varicella syndrome, Varicella-zoster virus, Neonatal varicella, Microbiology laboratory. Core tip: Although varicella during pregnancy is infrequent and congenital varicella syndrome CVS is rare, every available means should be used to prevent and diagnose them. Varicella-zoster virus VZV is responsible for varicella chickenpox and herpes zoster shingles. Varicella is typically a childhood disease. Children experience a slight fever, fatigue and the appearance of typical vesicles on the skin[ 1 ].
The disease is infrequent in immunocompetent children and adults, but complications are times more frequent than in infants, probably because of a lower cell-mediated immune response than children[ 5 - 9 ]. The infection may be transmitted by air inhalation of the virus from respiratory tract secretions or vesicular fluid , fomites e. The incubation period is usually d range d , but may be up to 28 d in subjects treated with immunoglobulins, and even longer in immunocompromised subjects[ 5 , 9 , 19 ].
The virus enters the body through various mucous membranes the nasopharynx, conjunctiva and passes into regional lymph nodes where it replicates[ 9 , 20 ]. Primary viremia occurs d after infection, with dissemination to, and replication in other organs liver, spleen, the sensory ganglia ; secondary viremia appears after about 14 d range d and is expressed in the form of a skin infection and the characteristic rash[ 5 , 21 , 22 ].
