SLIDE 5 3/18/2019 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 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 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.