Neonatal herpes: incidence, prevention, and consequences.

The incidence, prevention (by cesarean section), and severe consequences (particularly mortality) of neonatal herpes were appraised. The incidence rate of neonatal herpes should be around one in every 15,000 deliveries with a range of one in 7,500 to 30,000 deliveries. Cesarean section for pregnancies exposed to herpes simplex virus fails to prevent newborns from acquiring neonatal herpes. The mortality rate of herpes patients could be around 25% if a better reporting and diagnostic system were available.