Sakviseth BIN* and Sethikar IM
Introduction:Neonatal infection due to Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first described in the Outbreak in La Réunion Island in 2005, with the rate of vertical transmision of 48.7% in case of intrapartum viremia. All babies were asymptomatic at birth. Some severe complications were reported such as encephalopathy and hemorrhagic fever.
Objective:To describe the clinical and laboratory finding of the first neonate in Cambodia, serologically positive with CHIKV virus, from vertical transmission.
Clinical case: A term, small-for-gestational-age, male neonate was re-admitted for isolated high-grade fever at D4 of life and later confirmed with PCR for CHIKV. The mother had flu-like syndrome and skin rash few days before delivery.
Conclusion:CHIKV neonatal infection might be under-diagnosed in our country and even overlooked during Covid season. It is not a common differential diagnosis and the confirmatory test is not routinely done due to its price. This case report suggests considering CHIKV perinatal infection in febrile neonate, born to mother coming from a high-risk region for mosquito-borne diseases (Dengue regions) and presenting with fever and other flu-like symptoms prior to delivery
