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Risk Factors for Morbidity and Mortality in Neonates with Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection

Description

Neonates with herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection may have an infection that can range from relatively mild to fatal. Certain risk factors can identify those infants at increased risk for death, while other risk factors can identify those likely to show complications after recovery. The study was done by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Collaborative Antiviral Study Group.


 

Classification of infection:

(1) infection confined to skin, eyes or mouth

(2) encephalitis

(3) disseminated disease

 

Risk factors for mortality:

(1) disseminated disease

(2) semicomatose (obtunded) or comatose at entry (relative risk 5.2)

(3) disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, or DIC (relative risk 3.8)

(4) premature (relative risk 3.7)

(5) pneumonitis (relative risk 3.6)

 

Risk factors for morbidity:

(1) encephalitis (relative risk 4.4) or disseminated disease (relative risk 2.1)

(2) history of seizures (relative risk 3.0)

(3) infection with HSV type 2 (relative risk 4.9)

 

In neonates with infection confined to the skin, eyes or mouth, the presence of >= 3 recurrence of vesicles over a 6 month period is associated with an increased risk of neurologic impairment.

 


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