Herpes simplex virus type-1 pneumonitis in immunocompetent young woman

• Published in: Heart & lung Vol. 38; no. 6; pp. 526 - 529
• Main Authors: Reyes, Cesar V., MD, Bolden, John R., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01-11-2009; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Acyclovir - therapeutic use; Adult; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiviral drugs; Bronchoscopy; Cardiovascular; Critical Care; Female; Herpes Simplex - diagnosis; Herpes Simplex - drug therapy; Herpes Simplex - therapy; Herpes Simplex - virology; Herpes simplex virus; Herpes viruses; Herpesvirus 1, Human - isolation & purification; Humans; Infections; Lung diseases; Medical treatment; Pneumonia - diagnosis; Pneumonia - drug therapy; Pneumonia - therapy; Pneumonia - virology; Pulmonary/Respiratory; Sputum - cytology; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0147-9563; 1527-3288
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2009.05.002

Abstract A healthy young woman presented with an overwhelming hyperacute herpes simplex virus-1 pneumonia that dramatically responded to intravenous acyclovir. It is postulated that the infection was a reactivation of latent virus in the vagal ganglia, in the absence of retrograde extension of herpes labialis/gingivostomatitis, or hematogenous spread from extragenital and other sources of infection. It is also postulated that the patient's amazing improvement overnight was a real-time coincidence of spontaneous recovery from the viral infection and prompt initiation of acyclovir treatment.