Mollaret's meningitis

Abstract

Pierre Mollaret is mainly known for his contributions to infectious diseases and their prevention. He also described benign, recurrent endothelio-leukocytic meningitis in three patients who had short-lived recurrent attacks of fever, headache and vomiting caused by sterile meningitis, with 'fantomes cellulaires' (cell ghosts) in the cerebrospinal fluid. Identical symptoms are caused by Herpes simplex virus-2 and other viruses. The term Mollaret's meningitis should be restricted to idiopathic recurrent aseptic meningitis. This paper briefly outlines the syndrome and its discoverer.