title: Two fatal herpesvirus cases: Treatable but easily missed diagnoses.
abstract: Ill or immunosuppressed hospital patients are at increased risk for herpes simplex and herpes zoster virus infections, with high potential morbidity and mortality. Here, we present two cases of reactivation of herpes virus infections with delay in diagnosis, with ultimately fatal results. Since these infections are treatable, it is important to keep a high index of suspicion to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospitals, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3rd Floor, Room 30149, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bookhout
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospitals, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3rd Floor, Room 30149, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moylan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospitals, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3rd Floor, Room 30149, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
authors.forename: Leigh B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Thorne
keywords: ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; Autopsy; BMT, bone marrow transplant; CLL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia; CT, computed tomography; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; HSV, herpes simplex virus; Herpes simplex virus; Immunosuppressed; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; TEN, toxic epidermal necrolysis; VZV, varicella zoster virus; Varicella zoster virus