POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOS IS OF HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRAL-INFECTION AND TREATMENT OF ACUTE VIRAL ENCEPHALITIS

Positive diagnosis of Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis was rare ly obtained in the past, when brain biopsy had been performed. Other t ests (HSV antigen and HSV antibodies detection and interferon alpha me asurement, in cerebrospinal fluid) failed to prove HSV infection. Poly merase chain reaction has been proposed for accurate and rapid diagnos is of HSV encephalitis. With 35 cycles of a DNA polymerase sequence du plication, sensitivity reachs 95 % and specificity 100 %. HSV PCR is a useful tool for the diagnosis of acute encephalitis. This should be a vailable in many neurologic clinics. Therapeutic consequences include rapid disruption of aciclovir when clinical features, MRI study and ne gative PCR suggest non herpetic encephalitis.