A Case of Postoperative Herpes Simplex Pneumonia

Herpes simplex virus [HSV] esophagitis is a rare disease and most of cases are reported in the immunocompromised patients. We report a case of fatal HSV infection started from herpes labialis and esophagitis. She had initially suffered from perioral ulcer, esophagitis, and interstitial pneumonitis later and eventually died of respiratory insufficiency one month later after the aneurysmal surgery. She did not have any immunocompromised medical history and also had no evidence of herpes encephalitis in laboratory study and magnetic resonance image [MRI]. With the availability of effective agents for the treatment of HSV infection, early recognition of HSV esophagitis is important because it may be clinically confused with Cushing ulcer and may be complicated with a fatal pneumonitis.