Herpes Simplex Reactivation in Adult Critical Care Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Welcome or not Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) is an ever present guest in the intensive care unit (ICU). Several studies have documented a high frequency of HSV reactivation in critically ill patients despite that clinical impact remains unknown.

Detailed Description
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Normally primary HSV infection is asymptomatic but can under certain circumstances cause manifestations such as encephalitis and bronchopneumonitis. Bruynseels showed that HSV was detectable in the throat of two percent of healthy volunteers and three percent of patients not admitted to the ICU, this provides a broad recruitment-base for either latent or lytic HSV infection in the ICU. Viral dissemination to the bloodstream is seen in neonates , immunocompromised patients, but also in patients with primary herpetic gingivostomatitis. Patients testing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for herpes simplex DNA in blood, have a higher rate of systemic symptoms than those testing PCR negative for herpes simplex. Additionally it is known that HSV suppression in HIV patients has beneficial effects. PCR, now being available for more than a decade, has been shown to provide a more sensitive method for the detection of HSV than culture, but viral detection does not per se translate to viral disease thus the impact of disseminated HSV infection in ICU patients remains unclear. The investigators would like to investigate the incidence of HSV reactivation in blood and tracheal secretions critically ill patients and its impact on clinical course.

Official Title
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Herpes Simplex Reactivation in Adult Critical Care Patients

Conditions
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Herpes Simplex I, Herpes Simplex II

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: No intervention will be performed


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Admission to ICU Expected length of stay (LOS) >72 hours Intubated <24 hours prior to inclusion Informed consent by patient, relative or guardian Exclusion Criteria: Ongoing antiviral treatment/prophylaxis Expected LOS <72 hours Intubation >24 hours prior to inclusion Withdrawal of informed consent

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Other: No intervention will be performed|No intervention will be performed|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Incidence of HSV reactivation | Participants will be followed for the duration of the hospital stay with sampling of blood or tracheal secretions every 4 days until end of the viral reactivation period | Approximately 16 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Duration of mechanical ventilation | Participants will be followed for the duration of the hospital stay with sampling of blood or tracheal secretions every 4 days until end of the viral reactivation period | Approximately 16 days | 
| ICU length of stay | Participants will be followed for the duration of the hospital stay with sampling of blood or tracheal secretions every 4 days until end of the viral reactivation period | Approximately 16 days | 
| 30/90 day mortality |  | 30/90 days |