title: Diabetic ketoacidosis precipitated by genital herpes infection.
abstract: Diabetic ketoacidosis is frequently precipitated by infections. We report three cases in which ketoacidosis was induced by genital herpes infection. There is good evidence that early treatment with systemic Acyclovir is effective in patients with a first attack of genital herpes. Therefore genital examination should be considered in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis particularly when there are symptoms of genital herpes. During episodes of recurrence, diabetic patients need to monitor their blood sugars more frequently and adjust insulin requirements accordingly. We believe that this is the first description of ketoacidosis being associated with this increasingly common and recurrent infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, U.K.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesfaye
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Woolley
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir