West nile virus meningoencephalitis during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND

West Nile virus, a relatively new infectious agent to North America, can cause significant morbidity including severe meningoencephalopathy and death. Infection by this virus during pregnancy has been previously reported in only two cases, one of which may have resulted in adverse neonatal neurologic sequelae.

CASE

We report a case of a pregnant woman who contracted West Nile virus encephalitis during the first trimester, with good neonatal outcome including no serologic evidence of infection.

CONCLUSION

West Nile virus infection during pregnancy does not uniformly result in maternal-fetal transmission. Further research is necessary in order to counsel parents appropriately about potential adverse fetal effects.