Congenital herpes (patient information)

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Congenital herpes

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Congenital herpes?

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Prevention

Congenital herpes On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Congenital herpes

Videos on Congenital herpes

FDA on Congenital herpes

CDC on Congenital herpes

Congenital herpes in the news

Blogs on Congenital herpes

Directions to Hospitals Treating Congenital herpes

Risk calculators and risk factors for Congenital herpes

Editor-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

Synonyms and Keywords: HSV; Congenital herpes; Birth-acquired herpes

Overview

Birth-acquired herpes is a herpes virus infection that an infant gets (acquires) at the time of birth.

What are the symptoms of Congenital herpes?

  • Herpes may only appear as a skin infection. Small, fluid-filled blisters (vesicles) may appear. These blisters rupture, crust over, and finally heal, often leaving a mild scar.
  • Herpes infection may also spread throughout the body (called disseminated herpes). In this type, the herpes virus can affect many different parts of the body.
  • Herpes infection in the brain is called herpes encephalitis
  • The liver, lungs, and kidneys may also be involved
  • There may or may not be blisters on the skin
  • Newborn infants with herpes that has spread to the brain or other parts of the body are often very sick.
  • Symptoms include:
  • Bleeding easily
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Blue appearance (cyanosis)
  • Flaring of the nostrils
  • Grunting
  • Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
  • Short periods without breathing (apneic episodes]])
  • Herpes that is caught in the period shortly after birth has symptoms similar to those of birth-acquired herpes.
  • Intrauterine herpes can cause:
  • Eye disease, such as inflammation of the retina (chorioretinitis)
  • Severe brain damage
  • Skin sores (lesions)

What causes Congenital herpes?

  • Newborn infants can become infected with herpes virus:
  • In the uterus (intrauterine herpes - this is very rare)
  • Passing through the birth canal (birth-acquired herpes, the most common method of infection)
  • Right after birth (postpartum) from kissing or having other contact with someone who has herpes mouth sores
  • If the mother has an active genital herpes infection at the time of delivery, the baby is more likely to become infected during birth. Some mothers may not be aware they have internal (inside the vagina) herpes sores.
  • Some people have had herpes infections in the past, but were not aware of it. These people, not knowing that they have herpes, may pass it to their baby.
  • Herpes type 2 (genital herpes) is the most common cause of herpes infection in newborn babies, but herpes type 1 (oral herpes) can also occur.

When to seek urgent medical care?

If your baby has any symptoms of birth-acquired herpes, including skin lesions alone, have the baby seen by your health care provider promptly.

Diagnosis

  • Tests for birth-acquired herpes include:
  • Additional tests that may be done if the baby is very sick include:

Treatment options

  • Herpes virus infections in infants are generally treated with medicine given through a vein (intravenous).
  • Acyclovir is the most common antiviral medicine used for this purpose. The baby may need to take the medicine for several weeks.
  • Other therapy is often needed to treat the effects of herpes infection, such as shock or seizures.
  • Often, because these babies are very ill, treatment is done in an intensive care unit.

Where to find medical care for Congenital herpes?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Congenital herpes

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

  • Infants with systemic herpes or encephalitis often do poorly, despite antiviral medications and early treatment.
  • In infants with skin disease, the vesicles may come back repeatedly even after treatment is finished. These recurrences put them at risk for learning disabilities, and may need to be treated.

Possible complications

Prevention

  • It is important for women to tell their doctor if they have a history of genital herpes.
  • Safer sexual practices can help prevent the mother from getting genital herpes. Mothers who are not infected with herpes cannot pass the herpes virus to the baby during delivery.
  • People with cold sores (herpes labialis) should avoid contact with newborn infants. Caregivers who have a cold sore should wear a surgical mask and wash their hands carefully before coming into contact with the infant to prevent transmitting the virus.
  • Mothers should speak to their health care providers about the best way to minimize the risk of transmitting herpes to their infant.

Source

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001368.htm

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