Benign form of herpes simplex encephalitis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• A 34-year-old woman presented with a 12-day history of severe headache.
• Initial diagnosis of right temporal lobe cerebral infarction treated with aspirin yielded no improvement.

Observation:

• Bilateral papilledema was noted on admission.
• Cerebral computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans indicated cerebritis in the right temporal lobe.
• Lumbar puncture revealed elevated opening pressure with normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles.

Findings:

• The patient received intravenous acyclovir therapy.
• A favorable clinical outcome was observed following treatment.

Implications:

• This case underscores the diagnostic challenge of differentiating cerebral infarction from infectious cerebritis based solely on headache.
• Prompt recognition and treatment of cerebritis with antiviral therapy, such as acyclovir, are crucial for favorable patient outcomes.
• Highlights the importance of considering infectious etiologies in patients with persistent neurological symptoms and papilledema.