Cytomegalovirus associated neonatal pneumonia and Wilson-Mikity syndrome: a causal relationship?

Lung injury caused by intrauterine inflammation has recently been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of Wilson-Mikity syndrome (WMS), This articl e supports this theory by suggesting a causative role of intrauterine cytom egalovirus (CR;IV) infection far the development of WMS, A male premature infant, born at 33 weeks of gestational age, developed chr onic lung disease compatible with WMS and diagnostic evaluation was positiv e for CMV infection, High-resolution computed tomography scan and lung histology revealed typica l features of WMS in association with signs of interstitial pneumonia, CMV was found in urine, breastmilk, bronchoalveolar lavage material and lung ti ssue from open lung biopsy. Follow-up after treatment with ganciclovir and steroids showed resolving lung disease at the age of 6, 10 and 16 months, w ith lung function signs of mild obstruction, Assuming that a chance coexistence of cytomegalovirus pneumonia and Wilson- Mikity syndrome is rather unlikely, it is possible that intrauterine cytome galovirus infection caused a pattern of lung injury consistent with Wilson- Mikity syndrome, Further cases of Wilson-Mikity syndrome should be investig ated as to a possible role of congenital infection.