Herpes Encephalitis via lysogenic cycle in neuro ganglia?
Im a pre-medical student. I wrote a publication regarding an HIV encephalitis case and have since been pretty interested…so I just got out of prokaryotic lecture and learned that Herpes undergoes the lysogenic cycle in neuro ganglia….does that mean that herpes typically also causes encephalitis later on in age? Or does it not typically go that route?
I wouldn’t say " ‘typically’ also causes encephalitis", but yes it can. I am being picky about the word typically, because it is not common for a herpes infection to cause encephalitis.
It is rare (about 1 in 500 000 / yr) and 70% die without treatment, of those who do get treated 20% still die, and of those that survive over half have permanent brain damage….only 2.5% have normal brain function after surviving.
Hope this helps!
I wouldn’t say " ‘typically’ also causes encephalitis", but yes it can. I am being picky about the word typically, because it is not common for a herpes infection to cause encephalitis.
It is rare (about 1 in 500 000 / yr) and 70% die without treatment, of those who do get treated 20% still die, and of those that survive over half have permanent brain damage….only 2.5% have normal brain function after surviving.
Hope this helps!
References :
background in microbiology and immunology