Relapse of herpes simplex encephalitis after conventional acyclovir therapy.
Acyclovir sodium is the drug of choice for the treatment of herpes simplex encephalitis. We treated an immunocompetent patient with a ten-day course of intravenous acyclovir sodium at the recommended dosage of 10 mg/kg every eight hours for clinically apparent herpes simplex encephalitis. After marked improvement, his condition deteriorated four days after completing acyclovir therapy. A subsequent brain biopsy specimen disclosed acyclovir-sensitive herpes simplex virus type 1. A longer duration of acyclovir therapy (14 to 21 days) should be considered for treating herpes simplex encephalitis.
VanLandingham
K E
KE
Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908.
Marsteller
H B
HB
Ross
G W
GW
Hayden
F G
FG
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000212:Acyclovir