Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection and asymptomatic maternal infection

Eli Somekh, David Thanhauser, Henry M. Feder, Zane A. Brown, Jacqueline Benedetti, Rhoda Ashley, Sandra Burchett, Stacey Selke, Sylvia Berry, Louis A. Vontver, Lawrence Corey

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterpeer-review

Abstract

To the Editor: The article by Brown et al. (May 2 issue)1 nicely demonstrated the significant difference in the incidence of neonatal infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) between infants born to women with recently acquired asymptomatic genital HSV and those born to women with asymptomatic reactivation of HSV. The authors also demonstrated that the presence of maternal antibodies specific for HSV-2 but not for HSV-1 appeared to reduce the neonatal transmission of HSV-2. They state, “None of the 31 infants born to mothers with reactivation of HSV-2 infection in early labor subsequently had neonatal herpes.” This statement, although valid.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)965-966
Number of pages2
JournalNew England Journal of Medicine
Volume325
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Sep 1991
Externally publishedYes

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