Adolescent Primary Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection with Sepsis Secondary to Streptococcus pyogenes Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young adults are responsible for most new genital herpes virus infections. Historically, primary genital herpes infections were thought to be caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2, however, recent studies suggest that up to 50% of incident episodes of genital herpes are caused by HSV type 1.

CASE: In this case report we present an 18-year-old G1P0010 female who presented with a primary genital HSV type 1 outbreak that resulted in sepsis secondary to Streptococcus pyogenes bacteremia.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Complications that might arise from HSV include encephalitis, Bell's palsy, aseptic meningitis, hepatitis, pneumonitis, sacral radiculitis, viremia, and superimposed bacterial infections. HSV infections are rarely associated with these complications; however, physicians should be aware of sepsis secondary to bacteremia as a possible complication of primary genital HSV infections when treating immunocompetent adolescents.