title: Are steroids a beneficial adjunctive therapy in the immunosuppressed patient with herpes simplex virus encephalitis?
abstract: Few reports describe the reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus causing encephalitis (HSVE) in patients undergoing brain radiation therapy and a concomitant steroid regimen. The role for steroid use in the treatment of patients with HSVE has not been fully elucidated. We report the case of a female patient immunosuppressed by steroids and brain radiation who developed HSVE and responded to acyclovir and dexamethasone.
authors.affiliation: Neurocritical Care Division, Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Fla., USA.
authors.forename: Karlo J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lizarraga
authors.forename: Lucien C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramos-Estebanez
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merenda
keywords: Corticosteroids; Herpes simplex virus encephalitis; Immunosuppression