Mollaret meningitis: case report with a familial association.

Mollaret meningitis is a syndrome characterized by recurrent bouts of meningitis that occur over a period of several years in an affected patient. Also known as recurrent lymphocytic meningitis, this entity involves repeated episodes of headache, stiff neck, fever, and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. Herpes simplex virus type 2 is the most frequently implicated causative agent, and treatment involves the use of antiviral medications. We describe a case of Mollaret meningitis in a 47-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with his eighth episode of meningitis during a period of 20 years. Cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction testing for herpes simplex virus type 2 was positive, and further testing excluded other common viral, bacterial, and inflammatory causes of meningeal irritation. The patient's family history was significant for a brother who also had multiple episodes of aseptic meningitis during a period of several years. This represents the first published report of a possible familial association involving Mollaret meningitis. It is likely that Mollaret meningitis is underrecognized among emergency physicians, and improved recognition of this entity may limit unwarranted antibiotic use and shorten or eliminate unnecessary hospital admission.