Birth-acquired herpes

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Congenital herpes

HSV; Congenital herpes; Herpes - congenital

The baby may exhibit:

• Poor feeding
• Stress or anxiety
• Skin lesions, fluid filled blisters
• Breathing difficulties
  • Grunting
  • Flaring of the nostrils
  • Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
  • Short periods without breathing (apneic episodes)
  • Blue appearance (cyanosis)
• Shock
• Lethargy
• Seizures
• Enlarged liver and spleen
• Kidney failure
• Jaundice
• Bleeding easily
• Coma

A very ill baby may develop signs of shock, bleeding, seizures, or other signs listed above.

Tests:

• Vesicle culture
• Spinal fluid culture
• Urine culture
• Swab culture (from nose, throat, or rectum)
• DFA test for herpes (scraping from vesicle)
• CT scan of the head
• MRI of the head
• Blood gas analysis
• Tests of liver function
• Electrolyte measurements
• Complete blood counts
• Coagulation studies (PT, PTT)

Review Date: 11/18/2005
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.