[Connatal varicella embryo-fetopathy].

Connatal varicella embryo-fetopathy is rare. A newborn is described with severe cutaneous lesions, contractures, and hypoplasia of limbs following maternal varicella at the 13th week of pregnancy. Persisting low CF- and ELISA IgG-antibodies up to the age of 18 months give evidence for a prenatal varicella infection. Varicella contact during pregnancy requires rapid serodiagnosis of the immune status; if the women are seronegative, the application of zoster-hyperimmunoglobulin is recommended.