MOLLARETS MENINGITIS ASSOCIATED WITH HERPES-SIMPLEX TYPE-2 INFECTION

We describe three patients with benign recurrent aseptic meningitis (M ollaret's meningitis). For one of these cases, the episodes of meningi tis were associated with herpetic outbreaks. Mollaret cells, which are a hallmark of Mollaret's meningitis, were present in the CSF from two of the three patients. In all cases, herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA was present in the CSF during the acute illness as detected by polymer ase chain reaction amplification, although viral cultures from CSF wer e all negative. Herpesviruses, notorious for frequent and sporadic rec urrence, are ideal candidates for the cause of Mollaret's meningitis.