Congenital herpes simplex type-2 infection; challenges and solutions

Abstract

Congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) Type-2 infection is a rare but life-threatening condition that usually results from vertical transmission from mother to her fetus. This case report presents a rare case of a preterm born with congenital HSV with the classical triad of cutaneous, central nervous system (CNS), and ophthalmologic disease. The infant had mild respiratory distress at the time of birth but otherwise appeared normal. On day 3 of birth, the child presented with classical symptoms of HSV. The child was given antiviral therapy for HSV infection; however, the infection was progressive and adversely affected the CNS, eyes, and overall development of the child. This paper highlights the importance of prenatal screening in women at risk to reduce the incidence of congenital HSV. Since most of the congenital HSV cases camouflage as other congenital, infectious, or developmental disorders of neonates, proper antenatal and postnatal screening is required to identify such cases.