Herpes Encephalitis

• most common cause of viral encephalitis

• usually caused by HSV-1

History

• acute febrile illness

• all ages, all times of year

• localised to one or other temporal lobes

• destruction of temporal lobe gives

  • erythrocytes in CSF

  • seizures

  • focal neurological signs

• significant mortality / morbidity

Investigations

• Lumbar puncture

  • erythrocytes in CSF

Treatment 

(herpes simplex virus)

• acyclovir

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