Neonatal herpes
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Neonatal herpes simplex, or simply neonatal herpes, is a herpes infection in a newborn baby caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), mostly as a result of vertical transmission of the HSV from an affected mother to her baby.[1] Types include skin, eye, and mouth herpes (SEM), disseminated herpes (DIS), and central nervous system herpes (CNS).[2] Depending on the type, symptoms vary from a fever to small blisters, irritability, low body temperature, lethargy, breathing difficulty, and a large abdomen due to ascites or large liver.[2] There may be red streaming eyes or no symptoms.[2]
Neonatal herpes simplex | |
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Other names | Neonatal herpes |
Specialty | Pediatrics |
The cause is HSV 1 and 2.[1] It can infect the unborn baby, but more often passes to the baby during childbirth.[3] Onset is typically in the first six weeks after birth.[2] The baby is at greater risk of being affected if the mother contracts HSV in later pregnancy.[1] In such scenarios a prolonged rupture of membranes or childbirth trauma may increase the risk further.[1]
Globally, it is estimated to affect one in 10,000 births.[4] Around 1 in every 3,500 babies in the United States contract the infection.[5]