Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

07:27
Recurrent Herpetic Stromal Keratitis in Mice, a Model for Studying Human HSK
Published on: December 18, 2012
Case report: herpes simplex encephalitis in cancer patients
Christina F Yen1, Madhukar S Patel, Peiguo Chu
1Department of Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
Bioscience Trends
|January 28, 2010
Summary
Herpes simplex encephalitis can mimic brain tumors, requiring invasive tests for diagnosis. Immunocompromised patients with specific symptoms may have this CNS viral infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurovirology
Background:
- Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) presents diagnostic challenges, often mimicking neoplastic brain lesions.
- Accurate diagnosis of HSE is crucial for timely and appropriate patient management.
Observation:
- HSE symptoms can be mistaken for brain tumors, necessitating further investigation.
- The presence of immunocompromise in a patient raises suspicion for central nervous system (CNS) viral infections like HSE.
Findings:
- Specific clinical signs, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, are key indicators for diagnosing HSE.
- Distinguishing HSE from brain tumors requires careful consideration of clinical presentation and diagnostic markers.
Implications:
- Early identification of HSE can prevent delayed treatment and improve patient outcomes.
- Recognizing HSE as a differential diagnosis in suspected brain tumors is vital for neuro-infectious disease specialists.
Related Concept Videos
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
Herpes
Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV‑1) is a widespread pathogen responsible for orolabial lesions. It is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus belonging to the family Herpesviridae. Once the virus infects a host cell, its double‑stranded DNA genome is delivered into the nucleus, where a coordinated cascade of immediate‑early, early, and late gene expression directs viral DNA replication, structural protein synthesis, and virion assembly. After primary infection of epithelial cells, HSV-1...
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...
Cytomegalovirus Disease
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...