Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
05:51
Intracerebroventricular and Intravascular Injection of Viral Particles and Fluorescent Microbeads into the Neonatal Brain
Published on: July 24, 2016
Maternal and neonatal herpes simplex virus infections
Swetha G Pinninti1, David W Kimberlin
1Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, The University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
American Journal of Perinatology
|January 11, 2013
Summary
Maternal genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, often unrecognized, can lead to devastating neonatal herpes disease. Advances in diagnosis and antiviral therapy, including suppressive treatment, significantly improve infant outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are highly prevalent globally, affecting approximately 22% of pregnant women.
- A significant majority (80%) of individuals with genital herpes are unaware of their infection.
- Maternal genital herpes poses a severe risk, potentially causing neonatal herpes disease, a serious condition in newborns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiology of maternal and neonatal herpes infections.
- To discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of neonatal herpes disease.
- To highlight recent advancements in treatment and their impact on infant morbidity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review summarizing current knowledge on herpes simplex virus in pregnancy and neonates.
- Discussion of diagnostic tools, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for central nervous system infections.
- Analysis of therapeutic strategies, including antiviral medications and suppressional therapy.
Main Results:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have transformed the diagnosis of central nervous system infections in neonates.
- Safe and effective antiviral therapies have revolutionized the management of neonatal herpes simplex infections.
- Long-term antiviral suppressive therapy has demonstrated significant improvements in reducing infant morbidity.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal herpes disease, though uncommon, is a critical consideration in ill neonates due to its high morbidity and mortality.
- Modern diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have greatly improved the prognosis for infants with neonatal herpes.
- Continued research and implementation of suppressional therapy are crucial for further enhancing infant health outcomes.
More Related Videos
05:22Ex vivo Culture of Human Placental Explants for the Study of Viral Transmission Across the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: December 30, 2025
13:22Detection of the Genome and Transcripts of a Persistent DNA Virus in Neuronal Tissues by Fluorescent In situ Hybridization Combined with Immunostaining
Published on: January 23, 2014
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cytomegalovirus 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...
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
01:18Viral Meningitis
Viral meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and is often referred to as aseptic meningitis to indicate the absence of bacterial involvement. It is generally milder than bacterial meningitis, with symptoms including fever, headache, stiff neck, drowsiness, nausea, photophobia, and vomiting. Rarely, more severe manifestations or death may occur. Common causative agents include enteroviruses, particularly coxsackie A and B viruses and echoviruses, all members of the Enterovirus genus...
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota
The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
01:19Encephalitis 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...