ArticleArchives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition2022
Characteristics of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections in Germany: results of a 2-year prospective nationwide surveillance study.
Article in Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Global epidemiology of neonatal herpes: systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions.Journal of global health · 2026Pooled it
- Global Seroprevalence (HSV-2 IgG), Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Genital Herpes Infection During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of pregnancy · 2026Pooled it
- Genital Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infection During Pregnancy - Recommendations of the Working Group on Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine (AGG - Section on Maternal Disorders).Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde · 2026Article
- Challenges for early diagnosis of neonatal herpes infection in Japan.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2024Article
- Congenital herpes simplex with ophthalmic and multisystem features: a case report.BMC pediatrics · 2023Article
- Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 in Europe: systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo assess incidence and burden of neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections and to explore possible transmission routes.
methodsA 2-year prospective nationwide surveillance study performed in 2017 and 2018. All German paediatric departments (n=464 in 2017, n=441 in 2018) were contacted on a monthly basis to report potential cases of neonatal HSV infections. Infants with a postnatal age of ≤60 days and a positive HSV PCR or HSV culture from skin, mucous membrane, vesicles or conjunctival smear, blood or cerebrospinal fluid were included in the study.
results37 cases were analysed. 29 patients who exhibited no or only mild clinical symptoms were discharged home without organ damage or neurological abnormalities. Four patients showed significant neurological impairment, one patient required liver transplantation and two patients died during in-patient treatment. The 2-year incidence of neonatal HSV infections was 2.35 per 100 000 live births (95% CI 1.69 to 3.02) and disease-specific mortality was 0.13 per 100 000 live births (95% CI 0.04 to 0.21). Data on possible transmission routes were available in 23 cases. In 20 cases, an orofacial HSV infection was present in one or more family members. An active maternal genital HSV infection was reported in 3 cases.
conclusionNeonatal HSV infections are rare in Germany. Most infants have a benign clinical course, but some infants are severely affected. Postnatal HSV exposure may account for a considerable number of neonatal HSV infections.
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