title: [Case report: prolonged croup due to herpes simplex infection].
abstract: In recent years only a few cases of croup due to herpes simplex infection among healthy children have been reported. This case report concerns a 15 month old, healthy boy who was admitted to the Children's Hospital with croup and failed to recover within the week. The boy had a positive throat culture for herpes simplex type 1 and was diagnosed with croup due to herpes simplex on the basis of serology. The boy was treated with corticosteroids; a recognised practice in severe cases of croup. The harmful effects of corticosteroids in herpes simplex croup, if indeed any, are not known. We surmise that in this case the use of corticosteroids was not a decisive factor, but it has been previously noted that prolonged corticosteroid treatment can play a role in herpes simplex infection. Furthermore it has been debated whether other viral pathogens proceed the infection, but in this case serology indicates otherwise.
authors.affiliation: Landspítali Háskólasjúkrahús, Landspítala Hringbraut.
authors.forename: Margrét
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sturludóttir
authors.forename: Helga Margrét
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Skúladóttir
authors.forename: Thornórólfur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gudnason
authors.forename: Bjoern
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ardal
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003440:Croup / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones