[Herpes encephalitis in adults and interferon (author's transl)]

In 10 adult patients with herpes encephalitis type I interferon synthesis was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid at the onset of the disease, but not in serum collected the same day as the CSF. In 20 controls with various non-herpetic infections associated with neurological disorders, type I interferon was found neither in CSF samples nor in sera. The early intrathecal synthesis of type I interferon during adult encephalitis therefore strongly support the assumption of a herpetic origin. The role of CSF interferon in the pathogenesis of the disease and the absence, or presence in small amounts, of serum interferon are discussed. These findings raise queries about the treatment of herpes encephalitis with parenteral interferon combined with nucleoside analogues.