Summary
Since effective antiviral treatment is available for herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE), early diagnosis or exclusion of herpes simplex etiology is essential for prognosis. In a retrospective study of 25 cases of acute viral encephalitis not caused by herpes simplex virus (non-HSE), we investigated whether HSE can be excluded in the early phase before serological evidence is present. Using clinical means, history, investigations of CSF (protein, cells), EEG, and CCT, HSE could not be excluded with reliability. This is because clinical signs and laboratory results are not pathognomonic for any form of viral encephalitis, even if periodic activity in EEG and temporal attenuation in CCT are more frequent in HSE than in other forms of encephalitis. Therefore, in all cases of severe encephalitis, acyclovir therapy should be initiated early.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barocka A (1980) Akute virale Meningoencephalitiden. Neurol Psychiatr 6:300–302
Booss J, Esiri MM (1986) Viral encephalitis. Blackwell, Oxford
Cheesbrough JS, Finch RG, Ward MJ (1985) A case of herpes zoster associated encephalitis with rapid response to acyclovir. Postgrad Med J 61:145–146
Christe W, Kölmel HW (1985) Die Behandlung des Zoster mit Aciclovir. Klinikarzt 14:1451–1452
Elian M (1975) Herpes simplex encephalitis, prognosis and long-term follow-up. Arch Neurol 32:39–43
Felgenhauer K (1982) Differentiation of the humoral immune response in inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. J Neurol 228:223–237
Felgenhauer K, Ackermann R (1985) Early diagnosis and treatment of herpes simplex encephalitis. J Neurol 232:123–124
Finke E, Ackermann R, Felgenhauer K (1982) Symptomarme Herpes-simplex-Enzephalitis. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 107:1020–1023
Flügel KA (1983) Prognose der Enzephalitiden und Meningitiden. Lebensversicherungsmedizin VII:161–165
Greenberg DA, Weinkle DJ, Aminoff MJ (1982) Periodic EEG complexes in infectious mononucleosis encephalitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 45:648–651
Griffith JF, Chien LT (1983) Herpes simplex virus encephalitis. Med Clin North Am 67:991–1008
Hacke W, Zeumer H (1986) Herpes-simplex-Enzephalitis. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 111:23–25
Hilgenstock F (1975) Zur Klinik der akuten Virusenzephalitiden. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 43:81–97
Ikemura Y, Akena H, Okada A (1984) Postinfektiöse Röteln-Encephalitis. Nervenarzt 55:83–85
Illis LJ, Taylor FM (1972) The electroencephalogram in herpes simplex encephalitis. Lancet I:718–722
Kaschka WP, Kaschka-Dierich CH (1984) Herpes-simplex-Enzephalitis. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 109:1000–1004
Kaschka WP, Kaschka-Dierich CH (1985) Diagnostische Möglichkeiten bei viralen Meningoencephalitiden. Therapiewoche 35:573–581
Kennard C, Swash M (1981) Acute viral encephalitis its diagnosis and outcome. Brain 104:129–148
Mapper PE, Cleator GM, Logson M (1984) Mild forms of herpes encephalitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Pschiatry 47:1247–1250
Lethinen I, Halonen JP (1984) EEG findings in tick-bourne encephalitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 47:500–504
Möller A, Ackermann R, Felgenhauer K, Ulm H (1982) Zoster-Enzenhalitis ohne Exanthem. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 107:882–825
Poburski R, Malin JP (1984) Rötelnencephalitis bei einer Erwachsenen mit ungewöhnlichem Verlauf. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 109:1796–1800
Pourmand R, Marchand ON, Cook JA (1984) Perodic lateralized EEG abnormality in a case of Neuro-Bechet syndrome. Clinical Electroencephalogr 15:122–124
Prange H, Wissmann H, Ritter G (1982) Schwere Virusencephalitiden: Therapie mit Interferon. In: Mertens HG, Dommasch D (eds) Enzephalitis. Perimed, Erlangen
Schear HE (1984) Periodic EEG activity. Clin Electroencephalogr 15:32–39
Schlageter N, Jubelt B, Vick NA (1984) Herpes simplex encephalitis without CSF leukocytosis. Arch Neurol 41:1007–1008
Schorre W (1979) Die Infektionskrankheiten des Nervensystems. Urban und Schwarzenberg, München
Sköldenberg B, Alestig K, Burman L, Forkman A, Lövgren K, Norrby R, Hiernstedt G, Forsgren M, Bergström T, Dahlqvist E, Fryden A, Norlin K, Olding-Stenkvist E, Uhnoo J, de Vahl K Acyclovir versus vidarabine in herpes simplex encephalitis. Lancet II: 707–711
Sköldenberg B, Forsgren M, Alestig K, Fryden A, Norlin K, Norby R, Olding-Stenkvist E (1985) Design of therapeutic studies in herpes simplex encephalitis. Letter to the editor. Lancet I:285
Swash M (1984) Management of acute viral encephalitis. Br J Hosp Med 25:250–255
Todman DH (1983) Encephalitis in infectious mononucleosis. Clin Exp Neurology 19:81–86
Upton A, Gumpert J (1970) Electroencephalography in diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis. Lancet I:650–652
Wees SJ, Madhavan T (1980) Herpes zoster encephalitis: successful therapy with vidarabine. Henry Ford Hosp Med J 28:67–70
Whitley RJ, Soong SJ, Dolin R, Galasso GJ, Chien LT, Alford CA, and the NIAID Collaborative Antiviral Study Group (1977) Adenine arabinoside therapy of biopsy-proved herpes simplex encephalitis. N Engl J Med 297:289–294
Whitley RJ, Soong SJ, Hirsch MS, Karchmer AW, Dolin R, Galasso G, Dunnick JK, Charles AA, and the NIAID Collaborative Antiviral Study Group (1981) Herpes simplex encephalitis. Vidarabine therapy and diagnostic problems. N Engl J Med 304:313–318
Whitley RJ, Soong SJ, Linneman C, Lin C, Pazin G, Alford CA (1982) Herpes-simplex-encephalitis. JAMA 247:317–320
Whitley RJ, Soong SJ, Alford CA, Hirsch MS, Schooley R, Oxman MN, Connor JD, Betts R, Dolin R, Reichman RC (1985) Design of therapeutic studies in herpes simplex encephalitis. Lancet I:284–285
Whitley RJ, Alford CA, Hirsch MS, Schooley RT, Luby JP, Aoki FY, Hanley D, Nahmias AJ, Soong SJ, and the NIAID Collaborative Antiviral Study Group (1986) Vidarabine versus acyclovir therapy in herpes simplex encephalitis. N Engl J Med 314:144–149
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schuchardt, V., Buchner, H. Non-herpes simplex encephalitis is early exclusion of herpes simplex etiology possible?. Eur Arch Psychiatr Neurol Sci 236, 372–378 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377428
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377428