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A Primary Neuron Culture System for the Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Latency and Reactivation
Published on: April 2, 2012
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Untreated herpes simplex virus encephalitis without a fatal outcome.
Abdurrahman Kaya1, Ahmet Furkan Kurt2, Uluhan Sili3
1Department of Infectious , Disease, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dr.abdkaya@hotmail.com.
Journal of Neurovirology
|March 31, 2021
Summary
Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) can be mistaken for brain tumors. Delayed acyclovir treatment in this HSE case still led to survival with minimal neurological issues.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) is a severe, sporadic brain inflammation.
- Early acyclovir treatment is crucial but neuropsychiatric deficits persist in survivors.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aids HSE diagnosis, often showing temporal lobe involvement, mimicking brain tumors.
Observation:
- A patient presented with symptoms suggestive of HSE.
- A presumptive diagnosis of a brain tumor led to a 90-day delay in initiating acyclovir treatment.
- The patient's condition was initially managed as a potential tumor.
Findings:
- Despite a significant delay in antiviral therapy, the patient survived the encephalitis.
- The patient experienced minimal long-term neurological sequelae.
- The case highlights a potential diagnostic challenge in differentiating HSE from brain tumors.
Implications:
- This case suggests that even with delayed treatment, favorable outcomes in HSE are possible.
- It underscores the importance of considering HSE in temporal lobe lesions, even with tumor-like appearances.
- Further research may explore factors influencing outcomes in delayed-treatment HSE cases.
