Reactivación de virus Herpes Simplex 1 en pacientes COVID-19 en unidades de cuidado intensivo: importancia en la evolución clínica del paciente

Abstract

80% of SARS-CoV-2 cases present as an uncomplicated or asymptomatic respiratory infection; However, the disease has a wide clinical spectrum that includes 15% of severe respiratory conditions that require medical attention and a mortality that ranges between 3-4% worldwide. Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with compromised immune response, which favors co-infection with other medically important agents and with the reactivation of latent viruses, mainly of the Herpesviridae family (Herpes simplex type 1 and 2), Varicella Zoster Virus, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes 6. In Costa Rica there is no report on the possible reactivation of Herpes simplex Virus in COVID-19 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out institutional protocols for the adequate and timely diagnosis of these viral infections and weekly monitoring with HSV-1 viral loads in respiratory samples from patients with mechanical ventilation.