Radiology

Virus

HSL and HSV

Encephalitis

Magnetic resonance imaging

Surgery

Virology

Mortality rate

Herpesviridae

Aciclovir

Viral disease

Alphaherpesvirinae

Herpes simplex virus

Medicine

Clinical Microbiology Reviews

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) can be responsible for life-threatening HSV encephalitis (HSE). The mortality rate of patients with HSE who do not receive antiviral treatment is 70%, with most survivors suffering from permanent neurological sequelae. The use of intravenous acyclovir together with improved diagnostic technologies such as PCR and magnetic resonance imaging has resulted in a reduction in the mortality rate to close to 20%. However, 70% of surviving patients still do not recover complete neurological functions.

Immunomodulatory Strategies in Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis