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A Primary Neuron Culture System for the Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Latency and Reactivation
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Herpes simplex serious neurological disease in young children: incidence and long-term outcome

Katherine N Ward1, Anu Ohrling, Naomi J Bryant

  • 1Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Virology (UCL Campus), Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College Medical School, 46 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JF, UK. k.n.ward@ucl.ac.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|June 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes serious neurological disease in children, particularly in those under 12 months. This study quantifies HSV

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

Background:

  • Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a known cause of central nervous system (CNS) infections.
  • The precise contribution of HSV to serious neurological disease in children requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and impact of HSV central nervous system (CNS) infection on serious neurological disease in pediatric populations.
  • To estimate the etiological role of HSV in neurological sequelae among children in Britain and Ireland.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective survey was conducted over three years.
  • The study included children aged 2-23 months residing in Britain and Ireland.
  • Data collection focused on neurological disease and confirmed HSV CNS infections.

Main Results:

  • Nineteen children were diagnosed with HSV CNS infection.
  • Younger children (2-11 months) with HSV CNS infection frequently exhibited neuroimaging abnormalities (13/19) and long-term neurological sequelae (11/19).
  • HSV CNS infection accounted for a significant proportion of serious neurological disease: 23% in children aged 2-11 months and 4.5% in older children (12-35 months).

Conclusions:

  • The estimated incidence of HSV-induced serious neurological disease is 1 in 64,000 annually for younger children and 1 in 230,000 for older children in the UK.
  • HSV CNS infections present with a spectrum of clinical severity, from encephalitis to febrile convulsions and milder forms.
  • HSV remains a critical etiological agent for serious neurological disease in infants and young children.
Abstract

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