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Case Reports
. 2025 Mar 24;17(3):e81065.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.81065. eCollection 2025 Mar.

Mollaret's Meningitis: A Case Report of Recurrent Aseptic Meningitis

Fahim Barmak  1 , James Issa  1 , Danial Bajwa  2 , Syed Hashim Ali Inam  3   1 , Jason Adams  1 , Justin Nolte  1 , Paul Ferguson  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Mollaret's Meningitis: A Case Report of Recurrent Aseptic Meningitis

Fahim Barmak et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Benign recurrent meningitis, also known as Mollaret's meningitis, a rare form of recurrent aseptic meningitis, is often associated with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection, which is characterized by fever, headache, meningeal irritation, and sterility of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on examination. Although with clear diagnostic criteria, there are still many equivocal aspects of its pathogenesis and treatment. This paper presents a case report of a 40-year-old woman who experienced multiple episodes of this syndromic condition, highlighting its diagnostic challenges, clinical features, and treatment outcomes. The case reflects the importance of timely diagnosis and intervention in managing Mollaret's meningitis effectively. Furthermore, it sheds light on the complexities of its etiology and potential predisposing factors and the need for further research to better understand this condition.

Keywords: antiviral agents; autoimmune disorders; herpesviruses; hsv-2 meningitis; lymphocytic pleocytosis; mollaret's meningitis; recurrent aseptic meningitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. CT scan of the head (axial view) with normal ventricular size and configuration and no evidence of acute hemorrhage, ischemia, mass, mass effect, or midline displacement of structures
CT: computed tomography
Figure 2
Figure 2. CT scan of the head (sagittal view) with no evidence of acute hemorrhage, ischemia, or mass
CT: computed tomography
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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