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Some survivors of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) suffer recurrent symptoms in the first several weeks after recovery. Although such manifestations have generally been attributed to recurrent viral replication, several reports have described the presence of IgG antibodies to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor or other synaptic proteins in these patients. Now, investigators have prospectively studied 14 HSE survivors — six children aged 6 to 20 months (median, 13 months) and eight adolescents and adults aged 13 to 69 years (median, 40) who had symptoms suggestive of recurrence after initial recovery from their infection.
All patients had negative cerebrospinal fluid assays for herpes simplex virus (HSV). The children developed a chore…