Related Experiment Videos
Neuroretinitis associated with herpes simplex encephalitis in an adult
Abstract:
A 48-year-old man who died of herpes simplex encephalitis had a bilateral papillitis at autopsy. Intranuclear inclusion bodies were especially numerous within the ganglion cells and inner nuclear layer of the macula and consisted of typical virions by electron microscopy. Contiguous spread from the brain to the eyes may have occurred via the optic nerves. Clinically, the disk and retinal changes were misinterpreted as being caused by papilledema. Papillitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of disk swelling in adults with suspected Herpesvirus hominis infection of the central nervous system.
Insights
Herpes simplex encephalitis can cause bilateral papillitis, a swelling of the optic nerve head, in adults. This finding, often mistaken for papilledema, suggests direct viral spread to the eyes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
- Virology
Background:
- Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a severe neurological condition.
- Ocular manifestations of HSE are not well-documented.
- Papillitis, optic nerve head swelling, can be a sign of various neurological conditions.