Varicella zoster vs. herpes simplex meningoencephalitis in the PCR era. A single center study.

Background: The introduction of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of herpesvirus central nervous system infections is reshaping our understanding of these illnesses. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is increasingly recognized as an important etiology of sporadic viral meningoencephalitis (ME). Furthermore, mild cases of herpes simplex virus (HSV) ME, traditionally considered a devastating infection, are frequently reported.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 in saliva of patients with vestibular neuronitis: a preliminary study.

Objectives: Vestibular neuronitis (VN) is an inflammatory disease of the vestibular nerve, presumably caused by reactivation of the herpes simplex virus type l (HSV-1). We hypothesized that HSV-1 might be detected in saliva of patients with VN due to migration of the reactivated virus from the vestibular ganglia to the parotid gland.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with VN and 15 healthy controls participated.

Fetal outcome and amniocentesis results in pregnancies complicated by varicella infection.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of infants born to mothers with varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in pregnancy who had second trimester amniocentesis for detection of placental transfer.

Methods: We interviewed women who had had VZV infection in pregnancy and who underwent diagnostic amniocentesis to detect transplacental infection using both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cell culture methods to characterize their children's clinical and psychomotor development.

Results: Twenty women who had a diagnosis of primary VZV during pregnancy were available for interview.

Presence of viremia in patients with primary herpetic gingivostomatitis.

Background: Presence of viremia during primary herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections has been previously investigated, but the findings for immunocompetent individuals have only rarely been reported.

Methods: With use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we evaluated blood samples obtained from children with primary herpes simplex virus (HSV) gingivostomatitis for viremia.

Results: There were 16 girls and 16 boys, aged 9-44 months (median age, 19 months).