title: Relapse of herpes simplex encephalitis after conventional acyclovir therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: VanLandingham
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Marsteller
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hayden
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000212:Acyclovir