Abstract

The incidence of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection confirmed by culture and occurring during febrile neutropenic episodes was determined in 43 patients with haematological malignancy. The outcome of 72 episodes of neutropenic fever was determined and correlated with the presence or absence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Twenty four patients had mucocutaneous HSV infection during at least one episode. In 24 episodes in which HSV was isolated only 12.5% of fevers responded to antibiotics and 75% of fevers were otherwise unexplained. Conversely, in 48 episodes of neutropenic fever in which HSV was not isolated 67% of fevers responded to antibiotics and only 8.3% were unexplained. The difference in incidence of antibiotic resistant fever in the two groups was significant. There was, therefore, a strong association between mucocutaneous HSV infection and antibiotic resistant fever in immunosuppressed neutropenic patients. As most HSV infections are the result of virus reactivation, establishing the HSV serological state of patients would identify those at risk of infection and hence those in whom the prophylactic use of acyclovir would be indicated.