ACQUIRED CYTOMEGALO-VIRUS INFECTION IN PRETERM INFANTS

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 2 periods lasting a total of 13 mo. Sixteen of 51 such infants began excreting the virus at 28-148 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 received multiple blood transfusion during their hospitalization. Acquired cytomegalovirus may be relatively common in sick preterm infants and should be distinguished from other causes of rapid deterioration.