Progressive cytomegalovirus encephalopathy following congenital infection in an infant with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Congenital central nervous system infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) usually results in a nonprogressive encephalopathy. Ninety percent of patients with clinically apparent infections at birth have a permanent neurological disability. It has been suggested that some infants may have persistent infection manifested by progressive encephalopathy during infancy. In the present case, clinical and pathological findings suggest the reactivation of a prior intrauterine CMV infection in a child with human T-lymphotrophic virus type III (HTLV-III) infection. The presence of HTLV-III may have reduced the immune surveillance of this infant, allowing the CMV to reactivate.