Herpes simplex virus type 2: a cause of acute retinal necrosis syndrome

Purpose: To describe a case of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) acute re tinal necrosis syndrome (ARN) in a 13-year-old immunocompetent girl. Method s: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cultures, flow cytometry, and cytology were performed on the vitreous sample. Results: Both PCR studies and vitreo us cultures revealed HSV-2 as the cause of ARN. Flow cytometry showed CD4+, CD8+, and natural killer cells. The visual outcome of the patient was 20/2 00. Conclusion: Successful culture of HSV-2 from the vitreous specimen in a patient with ARN proved HSV-2 to be one of the causes of ARN. The successf ul culture of HSV-2 has not been previously reported.