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Abstract
Despite its rare occurrence, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment for neonatal herpes simplex virus infection are mandatory due to its high morbidity and mortality. In Korea, there has been no epidemiologic data on neonatal herpes simplex virus infection, and even case reports are rare. We observed a 16-day-old neonate who presented with fever and seizures. We diagnosed her with meningoencephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 based on the polymerase chain reaction test, and treated her with intravenous acyclovir and anticonvulsants. The seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 sharply increases in women in their 30s, and the average age for childbirth has increased to older than 30 years of age in Korea; we therefore expect that the incidence of neonatal herpes simplex virus type 2 infection will rise in Korea, and more attention should be directed to neonatal herpes simplex virus type 2 infection. We report this newborn patient' s case along with a literature review.
References
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Fig. 1.
(A) The initial electroencephalography shows regular and symmetric background activity of 1–3 Hz, with intermittent sharp high-amplitude waves in both frontal areas. (B) An EEG repeated at three months after diagnosis of meningoencephalitis shows no abnormal findings.
Fig. 2.
(A) Initial brain magnetic resonance imaging on hospital day 2 shows only leptomeningeal enhancement on the axial T1-weighted image. Repeated brain magnetic resonance imaging three months after the diagnosis shows (B) cystic lesions in the cortex and subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes on the axial T1-weighted image and (C) old hemorrhages in the cerebral parenchyma and (D) the cerebellar parenchyma on the axial echo planar image.
Table 1.
Results of Serial Cerebrospinal Fluid Examinations
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