[Lumbosacral polyradiculomyelitis caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) in a patient with AIDS]

To our knowledge this is the first description of lumbosacral polyradiculopathy produced by herpes simplex virus (HSV) without coinfection by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in a patient with HIV infection. The acute lumbosacral polyradiculomyelitis (ALP) in patients with AIDS is a well defined nosologic entity and classically associated to CMV infection. However, this pathology can be due to others etiologies as toxoplasmosis, syphilis, lymphoma, tuberculosis, cryptococcus, varicella-zoster virus fVZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBT) and HSV associated CMV. The case report was documented with findings in cerebrospinal fluid, magnetic resonance imaging and was confirmed by detection of HSV DNA by polymerase chain reaction. CMV DNA was not detected and no clinical features of CMV disease was seen. Therapy with foscarnet was successful. This drug without gancyclovir associated has rarely been employed in the treatment of ALP. We believe that foscarnet may be a valuable alternative therapy for cases of ALP of suspected acyclovir-resistant herpes virus infection.