title: Herpes simplex peritonitis: case report.
abstract: It has been previously reported that the most common cause of peritonitis in patients undergoing chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is infection by a single gram-positive bacterial species. Polymicrobial bacterial infections are identified that may be secondary to bowel perforation. In 20% of cases bacterial cultures are negative. Although cultures may be negative when infection is due to a fastidious organism, when antibiotic therapy has been administered, and in cases of chemical peritonitis, a viral etiology should also be considered. We report the first documented case of herpes simplex peritonitis, which involved a 60-year-old female undergoing CAPD. Viral peritonitis may be an important form of peritonitis that has been previously unrecognized and should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Saint Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201, USA. cacy777@aol.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yakulis
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Babinchak
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000473:pathology*