SLIDE 5 2/21/19 5
The HSV PCR May Be Negative Because:
- 1. He got 24 hours of acyclovir
- 2. It’s not a sensitive test
- 3. It’s early in the disease course
HSV Encephalitis
§ Epidemiology/Clinical:
§ Accounts for 10-20% of encephalitis § >90% due to HSV-1, most reactivation (HSV2 rare, in ICH) § Fever, personality change, seizures, focal neuro findings
§ CSF studies:
§ WBCs: lymphocytic pleocytosis (median 130 cells) § RBCs: elevated <500 § Mildly ñ protein (median 80 mg/dl), normal glucose
Whitley et al, JAMA 1982, 247:312. Whitley et al, JAMA 1989, 262:234. Tang et al, Clin Infect Dis 1999, 29:803. Domingues et al, Clin Infect Dis 1997, 25:86.
Can be normal in up to 15%
HSV Encephalitis: Diagnosis and Rx
§ CSF PCR:
§ 96% sensitive, 99% specific § May have false (-) in the first 3d à if suspicion is high re-tap § ACV has little effect on PCR (+) within the first 5 days of therapy
§ MRI: temporal/frontal lobe involvement in 90% § Treatment:
§ ACV 10mg/kg IV q8h x 14-21 days § Can check HSV PCR at d14 to define duration
DeBiasi and Tyler, Clin Microbiol Rev 2004, 17:903. Tyler, Herpes 2004, 11 Suppl 2: 57A
HSV Aseptic Meningitis
§ 1st episode in primary genital HSV-2 (women>men) § Recurrences:
§ 20-30% of patients will have at least 1 recurrence § Mollaret’s = repeated self-limited episodes +/- skin lesions
§ Antivirals needed?
§ Consider ACV 10 mg/kg q8h or valacyclovir 1gm PO tid x 7- 14d (some data for benefit in immunocompromised) § Suppressive therapy not effective to prevent recurrences
Tyler, Herpes 2004, 11 Suppl 2: 57A. Aurelius et al, Clin Infect Dis 2012, 54: 1304. Berger and Houff, Arch Neurol 2008, 65:596. Noska et al, Clin Infect Dis 2015;60:237.