Mucocutaneous dissemination of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus in a patient with AIDS

Infections caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) are a significant source of morbidity in immunocompromised patients. Acyclovir is often used prophylactically and therapeutically in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. The emergence of acyclovir-resistant strains of HSV capable of causing disease has been recognized. We report a case in which a thymidine kinase-deficient mutant of HSV caused extensive disease in a patient with AIDS. This case emphasizes that virus recovered from nonhealing lesions should be submitted for further study, which may advance our understanding of the interaction between host defense and drug-resistant strains.