[Liver dystrophy in disseminated herpes simplex infection in pregnancy]

The reported case of an unsuccessful treatment with acyclovir of herpes simplex virus hepatitis in a young patient, during pregnancy, demonstrates the necessity of an early diagnosis with the consequence of an early therapy. If serum antibodies are not evident, the presumptive diagnosis is based upon the histological demonstration of inclusion bodies in liver biopsy specimens. With the DNA-in-situ hybridisation technique, differentiation of the type of virus infection is possible in a short time. Hence, consideration should be taken that a biopsy of the liver should be done before the coagulation system breaks down due to hepatic necrosis. The risk of the liver biopsy seems to be low compared with the high morbidity and mortality of mother and child in systemic herpes simplex virus hepatitis.