Eczema herpeticum of the child. An unusual manifestation of herpes simplex virus infection.

Two children aged 7 months with eczema herpeticum received treatment consisting of intravenous acyclovir and human plasma with a high titer of herpes simplex virus antibodies. One recovered following two recurrences, but the other died rapidly, suffering both septicemia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and herpetic encephalitis. In both cases, the virus involved was a herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1). The various isolates obtained before, during and after treatment remained equally sensitive to acyclovir. These observations highlight three points: the unpredictable and sometimes dramatic development of eczema herpeticum in the young child; the urgency of early diagnosis and treatment; the role of environment in viral contamination.