title: Herpes simplex virus reactivation in surgical patients.
abstract: Evidence for oral shedding of herpes simplex virus Type I (HSV) indicating endogenous viral reactivation as a measure of depressed host defense was sought in 44 critically ill surgical patients. Eighteen (41%) of these showed persistent HSV shedding. None of 50 controls showed HSV shedding, but 4 (10%) of 42 patients undergoing elective surgery showed transient postoperative viral reactivation. In the critically ill surgical patients, oral HSV shedding was not related to outcome. However, failure to develop a rise in specific HSV antibody, in the presence of viral shedding, was associated with a high mortality. This is further evidence for impairment of both cell-mediated and humoral immunity in critically ill surgical patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000401:mortality; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral