Fetal death associated with measles virus infection of the placenta.

A case of fetal death at 25 weeks' gestation, which was associated with maternal measles infection, is described. Immunohistochemical study revealed measles virus antigen in the syncytial trophoblastic cells and decidua but not in the fetus. Results suggest that fetal death was caused by measles virus infection in the placenta. As far as we know, this is the first report in which a measles virus antigen was detected in the placenta by the immunohistochemical method.