Severe acute pharyngotonsillitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 in an homosexual man – Report of A case and review of the literature

Volume 6, Issue 6, December 2021     |     PP. 394-399      |     PDF (183 K)    |     Pub. Date: October 7, 2021
DOI: 10.54647/cm32524    80 Downloads     4489 Views  

Author(s)

Michael Dan, Infectious Disease Clinic, Maccabi Health Services, Bat Yam, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Eyal Yeheskeli, Department of Otolarygology-Head and Neck Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Abstract
A 30-year-old homosexual man developed pharyngotonsillitis the severity of which necessitated hospitalization for parenteral fluid therapy. Subsequent to unsatisfactory clinical response to antibiotic therapy and the negative tests for group A Streptococcus, together with the ulcerative aspect of tonsillar lesions, the diagnosis of herpes simplex virus, type 2 (HSV-2) was made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, and was confirmed by serology. HSV-2 can be responsible for infections “above the waist”, and is accountable for up to 10 percent of oral herpeotic infections. Clinicians should consider HSV-2 as a potential cause of pharyngotonsillitis in sexually active individuals, especially if streptococcal culture is negative.

Keywords
herpes simplex virus, , herpes simplex virus, type 2, pharyngotonsillitis, genito-oral transmission, homosexuality

Cite this paper
Michael Dan, Eyal Yeheskeli, Severe acute pharyngotonsillitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 in an homosexual man – Report of A case and review of the literature , SCIREA Journal of Clinical Medicine. Volume 6, Issue 6, December 2021 | PP. 394-399. 10.54647/cm32524

References

[ 1 ] Johnston C and Wald A. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/epidemiology-clinical-manifestations-and-diagnosis-of-herpes-simplex-virus-type-1-infection
[ 2 ] Samra Z, Scherf E and Dan M. Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Is the Prevailing Cause of Genital Herpes in the Tel Aviv Area, Israel. Sex Transmit Dis 2003; 30: 794-796.
[ 3 ] Wald A. Genital HSV-1 infections. Sex Transm Infect. 2006; 82(3):189‐190.
[ 4 ] Horowitz R, Aierstuck S, Williams EA, et al. Herpes simplex virus infection in a university health population: clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and implications. J Am Coll Health. 2010; 59: 69‐74.
[ 5 ] Bernstein DI, Bellamy AR, Hook III EW, et al. Epidemiology: clinical presentation, and antibody response to primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in young women, Clin Infect Dis 2013; 56: 344–351.
[ 6 ] Corey L, Adams HG, Brown ZA, et al. Genital herpes simplex virus infections: clinical manifestations, course, and complications, Ann Intern Med 1983; 98: 958–972.
[ 7 ] McMillan JA, Weiner LB,  Higgins AM, et al. Pharyngitis Associated With Herpes Simplex Virus in College Students. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1993;12: 280-284.
[ 8 ] Wolff MH, Schmitt J, Rahaus M, et al. Clinical and subclinical reactivations of genital herpes virus. Intervirology 2002; 45: 20–23.
[ 9 ] Chang TW. herpetic angina following orogenital exposure. J Am Vener Dis Assoc 1975;1:165-164.
[ 10 ] Young EJ, Vsinrub B, Musher DM, et al. Acute Pharyngotonsillitis Caused by Herpesvirus Type 2. JAMA 1978; 239:1885–1886.
[ 11 ] Tustin AW and Kaiser AB. Life-threatening pharyngitis caused by herpes simplex virus, type 2. Sex Transm Dis 1979; 6: 23-24.
[ 12 ] Lee L, Agwu A and Hutton N. Severe Primary HSV-2 in a Perinatal HIV-Infected Woman with Advanced Immunosuppression. Case Rep Med 2012; 2012: 346039.
[ 13 ] Azimi S. Herpes Pharyngitis. http://www.med.ucla.edu/modules/xfsection/print.php?articleid=42
[ 14 ] Barazzutti H, Savini H, Zandotti C, et al. An unusual disseminated viral primary infection: rash, hepatitis and polyserositis. J Clin Virol 2013; 58: 601‐604.
[ 15 ] Rosain J, Froissart A, Estrangin Eet al. Severe acute pharyngotonsillitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 in a young woman. J Clin Virol 2015; 63: 63‐65.
[ 16 ] George AK and Anil S. Acute herpetic gingivostomatitis associated with herpes simplex virus 2: Report of a case. J Int Oral Health 2014; 6: 99102.
[ 17 ] Abe K, Aoyagi H, Okada N, et al. Severe oropharyngitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in an immunocompetent adult. Am J Gastroenterol 2015;110:1140; doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.419.