A case of fetal parvovirus B19 myocarditis, terminal cardiac heart failure, and perinatal heart transplantation

We report a case of fetal cardiomegaly secondary to myocarditis as a result of intrauterine parvovirus B19 infection. The fetus was delivered through Caesarean section because of increasing deterioration of cardiac function a t 33 + 3 weeks with reverse flow in the ductus venosus. Four weeks later, a cardiac transplantation was carried out because of therapy-resistant dilat ive cardiomyopathy. This case shows that fetal parvovirus B19 infection may occur without anemia and myocarditis and does not always result in spontan eous reformation of a dilated heart and normal recovery. It may become the determining prognostic factor for the child. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger A G, Basel.