Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Disease: Updates and Continued Challenges

Abstract

This article defines neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease and describes the progress over the past 40 years that has revolutionized the management of HSV disease in neonates to improve their outcomes. These advancements include the introduction of acyclovir in the 1980s, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of HSV DNA in the 1990s, and recommendations on managing infants born to mothers with active genital lesions. Despite these advancements, however, there remain high morbidity and mortality in affected neonates, with need for continued improvement. Areas of high interest include vaccine development and rapid PCR detection at time of delivery.

Keywords: Antiviral agents; HSV-1; HSV-2; Herpes simplex virus; Mother-to-child transmission; Neonatal herpes.