PRESENCE OF HERPES-SIMPLEX DNA IN SURGICAL TISSUE FROM HUMAN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE FOCI DETECTED BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION - PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Objectives: To determine whether herpes simplex virus causes monofocal epilepsy and to assess the presence of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in surgical specimens from patients with epilepsy by using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis. Background: Herp es simplex virus is a common neurotropic virus capable of latency with in the central nervous system; it has a predilection for the temporal lobe. Central nervous system infection with HSV has been associated wi th seizure activity. Design and Methods: Surgical specimens were remov ed from 50 patients as part of a treatment protocol for monofocal epil epsy. Neuropathological classification was done, and adjacent sections were screened for HSV by using polymerase chain reaction. Tissues obt ained post mortem from the temporal lobe cortex of persons with Alzhei mer disease (n = 17), Parkinson disease (n = 14), or nonneurological d isease (n = 17) served as controls. Results: Twenty (40%) of the 50 ep ilepsy cases and 2 (4%) of the 48 control cases had at least one sampl e that tested positive for HSV (P < .001). Sixty-seven percent (8/12) of the epilepsy cases with heterotopia were positive for HSV. Conclusi ons: There was a statistically significant difference in the frequency of HSV-positive surgical specimens from monofocal seizure epicenters compared with nonepilepsy control specimens. These data suggest an ass ociation of the virus with seizure activity. All specimens positive fo r HSV (surgical specimens and control specimens) should be examined to determine the activity or latency state of the virus and cellular loc alization.