Fatal fulminant HSV-2 myocarditis: A complicated presentation

Daniele Colombo; Marco Albore; Franca Del Nonno; Giorgio Bolino; Mario D'Ambrosio; Alessandra Salvi; Camilla Cecannecchia; Laura Falasca

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.10.046

Fatal fulminant HSV-2 myocarditis: A complicated presentation

Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Jan:114:124-127. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.10.046. Epub 2021 Oct 27.

Authors

Daniele Colombo¹, Marco Albore², Franca Del Nonno³, Giorgio Bolino², Mario D'Ambrosio⁴, Alessandra Salvi⁴, Camilla Cecannecchia², Laura Falasca⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases INMI "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: daniele.colombo@inmi.it.
² Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Pathology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases INMI "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, "San Giovanni Addolorata" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
⁵ Lab of Electron Microscopy, National Institute for Infectious Diseases INMI "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 34718158
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.10.046

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection is the leading cause of genital lesions. Infrequently HSV-2 primary infection can spread and involve other tissue and organs, however in immunocompetent individuals extra-genital complications are rare findings. In this report we present a fatal case of fulminant myocarditis and terminal liver involvement, caused by HSV-2 infection, with a unique presentation. Diagnosis was made only post-mortem.

Keywords: Autopsy; Fulminant Myocarditis; HSV-2; Pathology; Viral Infection.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Herpes Genitalis*
Herpes Simplex* / complications
Herpes Simplex* / diagnosis
Herpes Simplex* / drug therapy
Herpesvirus 2, Human
Humans
Myocarditis* / diagnosis