title: Value of herpes simplex virus type-specific serology: a case report.
abstract: Genital herpes, usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in humans. By contrast, intrauterine HSV-2 infections have been described rarely in the literature. Our report describes a case of neonate who was delivered after 30+2 gestational weeks by cesarean section. He presented with a respiratory distress syndrome resulting in broncho-pulmonary dysplasia. At the age of 6 weeks, a chorioretinal scar was detected. During the 4th month of age, the infant developed recurrent HSV-2 infection with nasal lesions. The retrospective type-specific serologic diagnosis revealed previous HSV-2 infection of the mother resulting in prenatal HSV-2 infection of the infant. In conclusion, intrauterine HSV-2 infections may be underrepresented since they may not be associated with severe congenital malformations and the diagnosis requires the use of HSV type-specific serologic methods not widely applied in microbiological laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, St. Bernward Hospital Hildesheim, Treibestrasse 9, 31134 Hildesheim, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauerbrei
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002825:Chorioretinitis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital* / Q000821:virology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral