Herpes simplex retinitis
G. W. Cibis, J. T. Flynn and E. B. Davis
Fatal encephalitis with accompanying retinitis developed in a previously
healthy 18-month-old infant. Clinically the disease appeared as
whitish-yellow punctate lesions, perivascular cuffing, and hemorrhage. The
antibody titer to herpes simplex rose from 1:8 on the day of admission to
1:256 on the day of death. Postmortem, intranuclear inclusion bodies that
were typical of those found with herpesvirus were seen in the brain and
retina. Viral particles consistent with those of herpesvirus were found by
electron microscopy in the brain and in the inner-nuclear and
ganglion-nerve fiber layers of the retina. This demonstrates the direct
infectious nature of herpetic retinitis. Hematogenous spread of the virus
to the retina is presumed.
