FALSE-POSITIVE MATERNAL RUBELLA-IGM IN ST ILLBIRTH CAUSED BY PARVOVIRUS B19

False Positive Maternal Rubella-IgM in Stillbirth Caused by Parvovirus B19?: A 38-year-old secundiparous woman was referred at 29 weeks of g estation for fetal death with massive hydrops fetalis. At 19 weeks of gestation, the mother had experienced a rubella-like rash with positiv e rubella-IgM. Against the regulations, no rubella serology had been d one previously. Although there is no clear clinical distinction betwee n rubella and fifth disease and false positive rubella-IgM tests in co nnection with fifth disease have been described in the literature, nei ther sucrose gradient centrifugation of the serum for specificity cont rol nor parvovirus B19-serology were carried out at 19 weeks of gestat ion. The serum was discarded, and three was no sonographic: follow-up of the fetus. Parvovirus B19 was detected in the heart blood of the de ad fetus by polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR). Streptococcus intermedius (milleri) in pure culture was found in placental and fetal pharyngeal swabs. The clinical course, fetal hydrops with positive B19 PCR, and positive maternal B19 IgM at 29 weeks of gestation point to fifth dise ase with false positive rubella IgM. Fetal death could probably have b een prevented by more accurate diagnostic measures, storage of serum s amples, sonographic follow-up and fetal transfusion.