Fatal neonatal echovirus 6 infection: Autopsy case report and review of the literature

A full-term, healthy male neonate was delivered by caesarian section to a 2 6-year-old primigravida woman who had a history of fever and upper respirat ory tract infection. On the fourth day of life, the neonate developed a sep sis-like syndrome, acute respiratory and renal failure, and disseminated in travascular coagulopathy. He died 13 days after birth. Postmortem examinati on revealed jaundice, anasarca, massive hepatic necrosis, adrenal hemorrhag ic necrosis, renal medullary hemorrhage, hemorrhagic noninflammatory pneumo nia, and severe encephalomalacia Echovirus type 6 was isolated from blood, liver, and lungs. Although uncommon, echovirus type 6 infection may produce a spectrum of pathologic findings similar to those seen with the more comm only virulent echovirus type 11.