[Congenital encephalomyelopathy as a possible slow infection in humans].
A slow influenzal congenital infection of man (in a child aged 2.5 years) is described for the first time. The infection manifests itself by encephalomyelopathy (retarded psychomotor development, sluggish spinal pareses of the limbs) and resembles Werdnig-Hoffmann amyotrophy. Besides, one can ses neuroendocrine disorders (hypophyseal nanism, hypogonadism ) and the signs of immunodeficiency. The long-term persistence of influenza A virus, its defective form was detected in the blood and CSF by means of molecular hybridization. In addition, the summarized data on the clinical studies of congenital influenzal injuries to the CNS in children, carried out by the author are provided. The theoretical evidence for the work was experimental slow influenzal infection in mice obtained for the first time at the N.F.Gamaleia Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Moscow).