CONGENITAL HERPES SIMPLEX

Course overview

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV) INFECTION IN NEWBORN INFANTS CAN SHOW UP AS THE FOLLOWING: DISSEMINATED DISEASE INVOLVING MULTIPLE ORGANS, MOST PROMINENTLY LIVER AND LUNGS (25%) ; LOCALIZED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) DISEASE, WITH OR WITHOUT SKIN INVOLVEMENT (30%); AND DISEASE LIMITED TO THE SKIN, EYES, AND/OR MOUTH (SEM DISEASE) (45%). MORE THAN 80% OF NEONATES WITH SEM DISEASE HAVE SKIN VESICLES. THOSE PATIENTS WITHOUT SKIN VESICLES HAVE INFECTION LIMITED TO THE EYES AND/OR ORAL MUCOSA. DISSEMINATED INFECTION IS A CONSIDERATION WHEN NEONATES PRESENT WITH SEPSIS SYNDROME, NEGATIVE BACTERIOLOGIC CULTURE RESULTS, SEVERE LIVER DYSFUNCTION, OR CONSUMPTIVE COAGULOPATHY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL HERPES SIMPLEX AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.