Recurrent Oral Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in a Renal Transplant Recipient
Meral Torun Bayram1
, Erkam Yıldırım2, Esma Tuğba Kaşıkçı Mermer3, Damla Seyhanlı3, Salih Kavukçu2, Alper Soylu2
1Istanbul University, Institute Of Health Sciences , Pediatric Kidney Transplantion Research Doctoral Program, Istanbul, Türkiye
2Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty, Department Of Pediatric Nephrology, Izmir, Türkiye
3Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty, Department Of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Izmir, Türkiye
Keywords: Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus, renal transplantation, antiviral prophylaxis
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is common in solid organ transplant recipients due to viral reactivation under immunosuppression. We report a case of a 9-year-old renal transplant recipient who developed recurrent perioral HSV infection following discontinuation of antiviral prophylaxis. The patient presented with localized vesicular lesions without systemic symptoms, and each episode responded rapidly to oral antiviral therapy. However, recurrences occurred mainly during periods of increased immunosuppression, such as treatment for acute cellular rejection, or after cessation of prophylaxis, whereas no HSV-related episodes were observed during antiviral prophylaxis. Because of recurrent HSV episodes, long-term low-dose suppressive antiviral therapy was initiated. This case illustrates that HSV infection in pediatric renal transplant recipients may follow a recurrent course and underscores the importance of individualized management strategies given the uncertainty surrounding the optimal duration of prophylactic antiviral therapy.
Cite this article as: Torun Bayram M, Yildirim E, Kasikci Mermer ET, Seyhanli D, Kavukcu S, Soylu A. Recurrent Oral Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in a Renal Transplant Recipient. Pediatr Acad Case Rep. 2026;5(1):8-11.
The parents’ of this patient consent was obtained for this study.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.