Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections in Canada: results of a 3-year national prospective study

OBJECTIVE. The goal was to determine incidence, determinants, and morbidity and mortality rates of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections in Canada. METHODS. From October 1, 2000, to September 30, 2003, reports of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection were solicited actively from all Canadian pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists on a monthly basis. RESULTS. Fifty-eight cases of neonatal herpes simplex virus were reported (5.9 cases per 100 000 live births). Cesarean section was performed in 24.6% of cases, 28.1% of patients were born prematurely, 28.6% had birth weights of CONCLUSIONS. This is the first study to examine the national incidence of neonatal herpes simplex virus in Canada. Many women had no genital herpes simplex virus history before delivery, and the majority of cases were herpes simplex virus-1, which has implications for prenatal screening and vaccine/drug development. Follow-up monitoring of case subjects is being performed annually for 3 years, to be completed in October 2006. Key Words neonatal herpes simplex infection, herpes simplex virus, vertical transmission Abbreviations NHSV--neonatal herpes simplex virus HSV-- herpes simplex virus CNS-- central nervous system CSP--Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program PCR--polymerase chain reaction
GENITAL HERPES SIMPLEX virus (HSV) is one of the most incident and prevalent sexually transmitted infections in the world; however, because genital HSV infections frequently are asymptomatic, HSV is underdiagnosed. [...]