Herpes simplex hepatitis in apparently immunocompetent adults.

A study of eight cases of herpes simplex hepatitis in apparently immunocompetent adults is presented. The clinical features were nonspecific and were usually those of a severe systemic infection, mimicking septic shock. However, the histologic features were distinctive, with randomly distributed patchy areas of coagulative necrosis surrounded by hepatocytes containing viral inclusions. Viral particles could be identified by electron microscopy and Herpes simplex antigens by immunohistochemistry, but these were not necessary for diagnosis. The light microscopic morphologic features are so distinctive that if these are recognized in a biopsy, the diagnosis of herpetic hepatitis can be made and anti-viral therapy may be instituted.