How is mum? Think herpes in unwell mother and baby pairs: a multicentre case series

Perinatal herpes simplex (HSV) infections can have serious consequences for mothers and babies. Neonatal HSV can be disseminated, confined to the central nervous system (CNS) or limited to skin, eyes and mouth.1 Most HSV infections in adults are localised; however, primary HSV in pregnancy can be disseminated, particularly in the third trimester.2 Mortality from disseminated HSV is 50% in pregnant women and 49–70% in infants.2–4 Women with early postnatal primary HSV may have been viraemic around delivery, with their infants at risk of transplacental HSV infection. This is a rare but high-risk population, in which neonatal HSV may be missed, with devastating consequences.5