Hospital pediatrics
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Hospital pediatrics · May 2014
Multicenter StudyClinical and laboratory characteristics of disseminated herpes simplex virus infection in neonates.
Disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is the most fulminant type of neonatal HSV infection and has the highest mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for patient survival. We describe the clinical presentation, laboratory characteristics, and outcomes of neonates with disseminated HSV infection at our institution. ⋯ Disseminated HSV infection in neonates can be challenging to diagnose and is associated with high mortality. Clinicians must strongly consider this diagnosis, test the blood for HSV polymerase chain reaction, and initiate early treatment in the appropriate clinical scenarios.