CASE REPORT article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Neonatology
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1571715
This article is part of the Research TopicHerpesviruses: Pathogenesis and Host InteractionsView all 6 articles
Case Report: Disseminated herpes simplex virus complicated by hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a neonate
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Pediatrics, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, New Orleans, United States
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Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection carries a high mortality rate due to its potential to cause disseminated disease involving multiple organ systems, which can rapidly progress to shock and death if not promptly treated. In rare instances, neonates may mount an 4 uncontrolled inflammatory response leading to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a severe hyperinflammatory syndrome. We present a case of neonatal HSV infection complicated by HLH, highlighting the challenges of managing both conditions concurrently. Our therapeutic approach demonstrated a reduction in systemic inflammation and viral load; however, despite these efforts, the patient developed multi-organ failure and ultimately died from the initial disease process. This case underscores the severity of neonatal HSV infection and emphasizes the critical role pediatricians play in early identification of transmission risk factors and prevention strategies.
Keywords: neonatal herpes simplex, hemophagocitic lymphohistiocytosis, disseminated infection, Intensive Care, Immunosuppression
Received: 25 Feb 2025; Accepted: 04 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Tadros and Godiwala. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Nicholas Tadros, Department of Pediatrics, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, New Orleans, United States
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