Herpetic encephalopathy is a cerebral infection caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1). The annual incidence varies between 1 in 250,000 and 1 in 500,000. Onset may occur at any age, but is more common in children under the age of 3 (primo-infection) or in adults over the age of 50 years (usually as a recurrent infection). It presents as acute necrosing temporal encephalitis. Onset is rapid (less than 48 hours) with a fever of 40 °C, headaches, and behavioural, language and memory problems. These initial manifestations are followed by numbness and coma, which may be accompanied by convulsions and paralysis. This disease, which affects only a small minority of HSV1-infected individuals, could result from a genetic predisposition. In fact, mutations have been identified in a few patients in four different genes involved in innate immunity against HSV-1 in the central nervous system (genes coding for UNC-93B and Toll-like receptor 3, but also genes coding for transcription factors STAT-1 and NEMO). Emergency treatment should involve intravenous administration of acyclovir, as soon as the diagnosis is suspected. The disease course is severe, with a mortality rate of 20% and severe sequelae among surviving patients.
Also indexed as
Encephalitis due to Human herpesvirusEncephalitis due to herpes simplex type 1Encephalitis due to herpes simplex type 2Encephalitis due to herpes simplex virusHSV - [herpes simplex virus] encephalitisHerpesviral meningoencephalitisencephalitis due to herpesviridaeencephalitis due to herpesvirusherpes encephalitisherpes simplex encephalitisherpes simplex encephalomyelitisherpes simplex neuroinvasionherpes virus encephalitisherpesviral encephalitisherpetic encephalitisherpetic encephalopathy
Nearby in Herpes simplex infection of central nervous system