title: Demonstration of herpes simplex type 2 in the cerebrospinal fluid of two patients with recurrent lymphocytic meningitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the aetiology of recurrent lymphocytic meningitis in two patients with a past history of recurrent genital herpes simplex infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from two patients during an acute recurrent episode of lymphocytic meningitis was analysed by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of herpes simplex DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both patients, the acute CSF was positive for herpes simplex type 2 DNA. A second CSF obtained 2 weeks later from one patient was negative for HSV DNA:
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herpes simplex type 2 may be an important cause of recurrent lymphocytic meningitis. Available evidence suggests that viral DNA is cleared from the CSF between episodes and supports active viral replication as the pathological mechanism. The recurrences of meningitis need not coincide with clinical recurrences of genital herpes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Christchurch School of Medicine.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Croxson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012008:Recurrence