Severe diabetic ketoacidosis triggered by concomitant central nervous system and genital Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 infection.

Abstract

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening acute complication of type-1 diabetes mellitus. It is most frequently precipitated by bacterial infections, although viral pathogens should always be considered. We describe a case of concurrent genital and central nervous system infection by herpes simplex virus type 2 in an immunocompromised 24-year-old woman presenting with altered mental status without focal neurological findings and normal cerebrospinal fluid analysis. This further expands the range of clinical presentations that may be associated with herpes simplex encephalitis and emphasizes the value of the C- reactive protein test (PCR) for Herpes Virus Simplex in the investigation regardless of the cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF) and culture findings.

Keywords

• Herpes cirus simplex. Diabetic ketoacidosis. Encephalitis.