Varicella Zoster virus In pregnancy

Question 1

What is the incidence of primary infection by varicella zoster in pregnancy?

Answer 1

3 / 1000 pregnancies

Question 2

What is the percentage of seropositive for varicella zoster virus in antenatal population ( IgG +ve)?

Answer 2

90 %

Question 3

What is the incubation period of varicella zoster virus?

Answer 3

8 - 21 days

Question 4

What is the period that the patient is infectious with varicella zoster virus?

Answer 4

48 h prior to the onset of rash
And until the vesicles crust over

Question 5

How is primary infection by varicella zoster virus characterized?

Answer 5

1- fever - malaise
2- distinctive pruritic maculopapular rash that becomes vesicles and then crusts before healing

Question 6

If a pregnant woman has contact with a case of varicella zoster virus, what is the management?

Answer 6

1- take history of significant contact ( 5 min face to face/ 15 min in the same room)
2- IgG

Question 7

What are the manifestations of fetal varicella syndrome?

Answer 7

1- skin lesions ( scar/ skin loss) 76%
2- neurological defects ( cortical atrophy- spinal cord atrophy)
3- limb paresis
4- microcephaly/ Horner syndrome
Encephalitis / dysphagia
5- eye diseases: microphthalmos / chorioretinitis / cataracts
6- limb hypoplasia