Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and Acute Aseptic Meningitis: Clinical Features of Cases with Isolation of Herpes Simplex Virus from Cerebrospinal Fluids

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was recovered from the cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) of 10 patients with acute aseptic meningitis. HSV type 1 was isolated from the CSF of a 6-month-old boy. The other 9 HSV isolates from CSF were from adults in the age-group 15 to 29 years; 7 of these isolates were available for typing and were identified as HSV type 2. In a further 9 patients with acute aseptic meningitis and belonging to the same age-group a HSV infection was suggested by a significant titre rise in complement-fixing antibodies against HSV. The clinical features of the 10 patients with HSV isolation from CSF are presented. The 6-month-old boy with HSV type 1 had an acute benign aseptic meningitis. Seven of the 9 adults with HSV isolation from CSF (type 2 in all isolates available for typing) had an acute uncomplicated aseptic meningitis, one patient (with type 2 isolated) had an acute meningoencephalitis and one (isolate untyped) an acute meningomyelitis.