AUTOPSY FINDINGS IN 2 CASES OF NEONATAL HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS-INFECTION - DETECTION OF VIRUS BY IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY, IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION AND THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

We describe the pathological findings in two fatal cases of neonatal i nfection with herpes simplex virus. One had an encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2); the other had a disseminated infe ction with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Confirmation of the di agnosis was obtained by use of the polymerase chain reaction to amplif y viral DNA from paraffin sections of autopsy tissues. By using primer s which amplify fragments of the HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene and HSV-2 glycoprotein gene respectively it was possible to discriminate betwee n infection with HSV-1 and HSV-2. In contrast, immunohistochemistry an d in situ hybridization using commercially available reagents did not distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection. However, immunohistoche mistry and in situ hybridization are probably more reliable than the p olymerase chain reaction for assessment of the distribution of virus i n different tissues.