Herpes simplex encephalitis treated with adenine arabinoside

We report a case of a 5-year-old girl with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) who was treated with adenine arabinoside (ara-A). The characteristic symptoms consisted of headache and vomiting followed by progressive disturbance of consciousness. CT scan revealed a translucent area in the left temporal lobe. Seven days after the onset vigorous treatment including ara-A was initiated. She recovered without apparent toxicity or sequelae except for mild motor aphasia. Our experience suggests that ara-A is effective in the treatment of HSE if given early enough.