Neonatal herpes simplex retinitis.

Pathologic material from an acute case of neonatal herpes simplex retinitis is presented. There was marked necrosis of all retinal layers including the pigment epithelium. Choroid and vitreous appeared only secondarily involved. The retinal necrosis was sharply delineated stopping at the ora serrata. We interpret this as being more compatible with an immunologically determined process than with direct infection. Indirect evidence for this viewpoint is the failure to find any evidence of virus in the retina, such as inclusion bodies, by electron microscopy or by fluorescent antibody staining.