Paediatric Virology and its interaction between basic science and clinical practice (Review)

Mammas, Ioannis N.; Greenough, Anne; Theodoridou, Maria; Kramvis, Anna; Rusan, Maria; Melidou, Angeliki; Korovessi, Paraskevi; Papaioannou, Georgia; Papatheodoropoulou, Alexia; Koutsaftiki, Chryssie; Liston, Maria; Sourvinos, George; Spandidos, Demetrios A.

Fetal and neonatal brain imaging in viral infections. Fetuses and neonates are susceptible to a wide variety of viral infections most commonly involving the central nervous system (cNS) in greater frequency than adults (81) . Infections of the CNS are a very common worldwide health problem in childhood with significant morbidity and mortality. In children, viruses are the most common cause of cNS infections, followed by bacteria, and less frequently by fungi and other causes. Advances in the prenatal and perinatal care together with technological advent of imaging modalities have enabled timely detection and detailed exploration of symptoms and signs in the neonatal population starting from the fetal life. Although imaging is practically unable to set the diagnosis of viral infection in the fetuses and neonates, moreover to reveal the pathogens, it has, however, the potential to accurately suggest this scenario, map the extent of involvement and direct the investigation and the consultation accordingly. Additionally, it may reveal complications from viral infections that may cause confusion and usually require special treatment (81) .