Herpes Simplex Encephalitis Cases with Typical and Atypical Symptoms Confirmed by PCR-Am- plification of the DNA Polymerase Gene

Abstract

Objective: We have confirmed by PCR-amplification of
the DNA polymerase gene, three cases of Herpes Sim-plex encephalitis (HSE) with atypical clinical symp-toms.
Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were col-lected by lumbar puncture during the course of test-ing from 23 patients suspected to have viral encepha-litis based on commonly encountered symptoms, cy-tochemical analysis and neurological testing. PCR was
done on CSF using specific primers that amplify a 290
base pair sequence on the DNA polymerase gene com-mon to both HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains.
Results:  Only 3 of the 23 CSF samples collected
showed the expected amplicon size on the target se-quence. One case had conventional symptoms of en-cephalitis and 2 cases showed atypical symptoms from
the conventional ones. All 3 patients recovered after
administration of acyclovir. Fourteen PCR-negative
patients were shown to have non-HSE viral encephali-tis and the remaining 6 patients were shown later to
have other neurological diseases.
Conclusion:   PCR was efficient in elucidating the atypi-cal cases of HSV encephalitis.
Key words: HSV, encephalitis, PCR

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