Herpes simplex encephalitis and management of acyclovir in encephalitis patients in France

Pitfalls associated with the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) still remains a serious illness with high morbidity and mortality. The characteristic presentation of HSE usually consists of fever, headache, and altered mental function. We present three patients with atypical features of HSE. First, a 48-year-old man with symptomatic posttraumatic epilepsy, who developed a gastrointestinal infection, seizures, and fever. After significant clinical improvement, the patient had fever again and developed a status epilepticus, which led to the diagnosis of HSE. Second, an 84-year-old woman with hyperactive delirium after levofloxacin intake. Cranial computed tomography (CCT) revealed hypodense temporal changes, prompting lumbar puncture and diagnosis of HSE. Third, a 51-year-old diabetic woman presented with fever and acute confusion. As CCT and cell count of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were normal, infection and hyperglycemia as initial diagnoses were postulated. Due to aphasic symptoms, the differential diagnosis of a stroke was taken into account. Thus a second lumbar puncture led to the correct diagnosis of HSE. These atypical presentations need a high grade of suspicion and a high willingness to reconsider the initial working diagnosis, in order to prevent a diagnostic delay.

Herpes simplex virus-1 encephalitis: a review of current disease management with three case reports

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) is the most common cause of lethal sporadic encephalitis. Despite improved therapy with intraveneous acyclovir, HSV-1 encephalitis is associated with persistent severe neurological deficits. We report three cases of adult patients with HSV-1 encephalitis (HSE), discuss the current accepted guidelines for treatment as published by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and review the literature pertaining to HSE. Our case presentations are consistent with the literature review noting a broad spectrum of clinical outcomes with HSE. We include the first published case of successful early transition to oral antiviral therapy. In the other two cases, repeat cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed persistent lymphocytic pleocytosis necessitating prolonged viral suppression. Long-term neurological sequelae were noted in these two patients. The IDSA recommendation of 2-3 weeks of intraveneous acyclovir at 10 mg/kg every 8 h, depending on the clinical course, is sufficient for most cases of HSE. We recommend individualization of duration of treatment based on follow-up CSF analysis with quantification of HSV-1.