[Congenital infection due to herpes simplex virus]

Five cases of probably intrauterine herpesvirus infection are discussed. Four of them had clinical evidence of neonatal herpes, which was disseminated in two patients, localized to skin in one case and with SNC compromised in other. Natal or post natal infections were not considered to be possible in these infants due to the presence of symptoms in the first 24 hours of life, which made ascending transcervical or transplacental the most probable route for viral transmission. All cases were treated with a ten days course of intravenous acyclovir during 10 days. There of them had satisfactory evolution and the other two died at 9 days and at 2 months of life.