Infant Journal
Browse articlesFragile preterm infant skin masking clues to a significant infection: If the pattern doesn’t fit, think HSV
An extreme preterm infant born of spontaneous preterm labour with minimal antenatal care was noted on admission to have areas of linear skin scarring and breakage. The infant was initially thought to have very fragile preterm skin. Due to these lesions being out of keeping with the purported gestational age and coupled with a petechial rash, viral infection investigations were sent and yielded a positive result for Herpes simplex
type 1.
Neonatal Registrar
ayanda.madide@nhs.net
Dr Palaniappan Sashikumar
Consultant Neonatologist
Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham
Madide A., Sashikumar P. Fragile preterm infant skin masking clues to a significant infection: If the pattern doesn’t fit, think HSV. Infant 2025; 21(5): 139-41.
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Keywords
neonatal; congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV); preterm skin; ;
Key points
- Herpes simplex virus can lead to life threatening complications.
- Preterm skin can mask the appearance of HSV skin lesions.
Also published in Infant:
VOLUME 17/ISSUE 1, JANUARY 2021
The fetal medicine, antenatal medicine, neonatal and surgical teams have come together at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, to offer a holistic, family-orientated clinic for parents-to-be of in utero babies who are known to have surgical problems. These families face high levels of stress and anxiety, and have questions about their unborn child that need answering. This multidisciplinary clinic has shown clear benefits in maximising parental understanding, empowering parents through knowledge sharing, and preparing the future relationship between parents and medical teams for the long-term care of the baby.
