Painful Ear: A Rare Localization of Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Infection

Introduction

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are common in childhood. It can cause different clinical pictures from orolabial infection to life-threatening disease. After the primary infection, HSV establishes life-long latency in neurons of the sensory ganglia and usually reactivates at the initial site of entry. Recurrent infections are troubling and affect the patient's quality of life (Glitter JK et al. Pediatr Dermatol 2017; 34: 446–449, Pittet LF et al. Rev Med Virol 2021; 31: 1–9, Harrison et al. in:Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 2019: 1403–1428). Here we report an adolescent with recurrent HSV infection on the right ear.

Publication History

Article published online:
15 January 2024