Clinical and neuroimaging findings in neonatal herpes simplex virus infection

Monika Bajaj; Swati Mody; Girija Natarajan

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.04.046

Clinical and neuroimaging findings in neonatal herpes simplex virus infection

J Pediatr. 2014 Aug;165(2):404-407.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.04.046. Epub 2014 Jun 11.

Authors

Monika Bajaj¹, Swati Mody², Girija Natarajan³

Affiliations

¹ Carman and Ann Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Electronic address: mbajaj@dmc.org.
² Department of Radiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
³ Carman and Ann Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.

PMID: 24929330
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.04.046

Abstract

In a retrospective review of infants with neonatal herpes simplex virus disease (n=29), we found bilateral multilobar (n=8), pontine (n=3), thalamic (n=6), and internal capsule and corticospinal tract (n=5) involvement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diffusion-weighted imaging (n=6) performed early revealed additional involvement than detected by conventional MRI. Neurodevelopmental sequelae were correlated with MRI abnormalities. Our findings demonstrate that MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging, is a valuable prognostic adjunct in neonatal herpes simplex virus disease.

MeSH terms

Brain / pathology*
Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / diagnosis*
Female
Herpes Simplex / diagnosis*
Herpes Simplex / pathology
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Neuroimaging / methods*
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis*
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / pathology
Retrospective Studies
Simplexvirus / isolation & purification*

Supplementary concepts

Neonatal herpes