Main adult herpes virus infections of the CNS.
Herpes viruses are widely involved in human infectious diseases, and some are life threatening, such as CNS infections. These manifestations vary according to the type of virus involved and the immune status of the patient. This article will review the clinical manifestations (encephalitis, myelitis, meningitis and postinfectious encephalomyelitis), the diagnostic strategies and the presently used drugs (acyclovir, valacyclovir, ganciclovir, valgancyclovir, foscarnet and cidofovir). The review will also discuss drugs that are currently in the pipeline and that could be used in the future.
Denes
Eric
E
Service de Maladies Infectieuses, CHU Dupuytren, 2 Ave Martin Luther King, 87000, Limoges, France. eric.denes@unilim.fr
Ranger-Rogez
Sylvie
S
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure
D000998:Antiviral Agents