Herpesviruses in cerebrospinal fluid of children with meningitis in Luanda, Angola.

The human herpesviruses (HHVs), DNA viruses that include herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus (HHV) 6A, 6B, and 7, and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), can cause encephalitis or meningitis in children, and result in residual neurologic sequelae or even death (1). Other central nervous system (CNS) complications caused by HHVs include transverse myelitis, acute cerebellar ataxia, stroke, optic neuritis, cranial nerve palsy, and Guillan-Barré syndrome (Table 1) (1-5). After the primary infection, HHVs can establish a permanent, latent infection and reactivate, especially during altered host defense or immunosuppression (1). ©2013 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. ©2013 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.