subject: Neonatal Hsv Infection [print this page] The estimated incidence of neonatal HSV infection is approximately one case in 2,000 deliveries per year to one case in 5,000 deliveries per year. At least four factors influence transmission of infection from mother to fetus. The rate of transmission is 30%-50% with maternal primary or initial infection, as compared with less than 3% with recurrent infection.
Paralleling the type of maternal infection, the mothers antibody status before delivery influences both the severity of infection and the likelihood of transmission. Prolonged rupture of membranes increases the risk of acquisition of infection as a consequence of ascending infection from the cervix. When fetal scalp monitors are used, they can be a site of inoculation of virus.
Infection of a newborn can be acquired via three different routes, and the mother is the most common source of infection in all cases. The first route, in utero infection, is rare and requires stringent diagnostic criteria. The second route of infection is that of intrapartum contact of the fetus with infected maternal genital secretions. It is likely that about 75%-80% of neonates acquire HSV infection by this route. The third route of transmission is postnatal acquisition. Relatives and hospital personnel with orolabial herpes are reservoirs for HSV infection in newborns.
HSV infection in neonates is almost invariably symptomatic and frequently lethal. As stated above, neonates with congenital infection should be identified within 48 hours after birth. Such congenital disease is characterized by the triad of skin vesicles or scarring, eye disease, and microcephaly or hydranencephaly. HSV infections in neonates who become infected during or after birth can be divided into the following three categories.
1. Disease localized to the skin, eye, and mouth occurs in 40% of neonates and is characterized by the presence of discrete vesicles and keratoconjunctivitis. Disease localized to the skin, eye, or mouth generally presents at about 10-11 days of life. Neonates with skin lesions will frequently have recurrences over the first 6 months of life, regardless of whether therapy was administered. In the era before antiviral therapy was available, about 30% of children eventually developed evidence of neurological impairment.
2. Encephalitis, with or without skin involvement, occurs in 35% of neonates. Infection of the CNS alone or in combination with disseminated disease presents as findings indicative of encephalitis. Clinical manifestations of encephalitis include seizures, lethargy, irritability, tremors, poor feeding, temperature instability, bulging fontanelle, and pyramidal tract signs. Virus can be cultured from CSF in 25%-40% of all cases.
Fifty percent of new-borns with CNS disease who are not treated will die, and death is usually related to brain-stem involvement. The long-term prognosis of encephalitis is particularly poor. As many as 50% of surviving children have some degree of psychomotor retardation, often in association with microcephaly, hydranencephaly, porencephalic cysts, spasticity, blindness, retinitis, or learning disabilities.
Skin vesicles, the classic sign of disease, may not be present in less than 40% of neonates with disease localized to the CNS. Thus, for neonates with cells and protein in the CSF at 2-3 weeks of life, other diagnostic clues, such as skin vesicles, may not be present. For the neonate with CSF findings indicative of infection, HSV must be considered along with bacterial pathogens.
3. Disseminated infection, which occurs in 25% of neonates, involves multiple organs, including the CNS, lungs, liver, adrenal glands, skin, eye, and mouth and is associated with the poorest prognosis. Infants with disseminated infection present for therapy between 9 and 11 days of age. Constitutional signs and symptoms include irritability, seizures, respiratory distress, jaundice, bleeding diatheses, and shock.
Encephalitis is a common component of disseminated infection, occurring in about 60%-75% of these infants. The vesicular rash does not occur in more than 20% of these children. Mortality in the absence of therapy exceeds 80%; all but a few survivors are impaired. In order not to deliver the virus to your baby, treatment of herpes is a must.
HSVCurative is a potent all natural antiviral cure for herpes, highly effective against HSV1 and HSV2; it has a wide spectrum of antiviral activity against these viruses, even for genital herpes. The cure in this treatment has the ability to inactivate and destroy HSV, which has been established in published clinical trials. It is to be applied directly to an outbreak.
The importance of applying certified organic material to outbreaks or open sores cannot be overstated. Use of organic material is absolutely essential in herpes cures. HSVCurative is certified organic and is meant for medicinal use. To learn more, please go to http://www.bcured.net.
