CHRONIC RESPIRATORY-FAILURE AFTER ACQUIRED CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION IN A VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANT

The case of a female infant who developed chronic respiratory failure after an acquired cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is presented here. S he was a very low birthweight (VLBW) infant and was free from oxygen s upplement until 2 months after birth. Interstitial pneumonia occurred at 2 months of age, and her respiratory condition gradually deteriorat ed. A chest roentgenogram at 4 months revealed hyperinflation and reti cular shadow, similar to that of severe chronic lung disease (CLD) in preterm infants. She was mechanically ventilated because of progressiv e respiratory deterioration, and oxygen dependency continued for 5 mon ths after extubation. There are several previous reports of CMV pneumo nia in term neonates or infants. However, there appears to be no publi shed report on the pulmonary sequelae of CMV pneumonia in VLBW infants . The present case seems to indicate that acquired CMV pneumonia in VL BW infants causes chronic respiratory failure even when mechanical ven tilation is not administered, and this respiratory failure is very sim ilar to CLD in clinical symptoms and chest roentgenogram.