Subacute presentation of herpes simplex virus-1 encephalitis: A rare case report

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a potentially fatal infectious disease with high mortality if undiagnosed. HSE mostly presents with acute features such as a headache, fever, and altered sensorium. The combination of clinical history and examination, brain computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF) analysis have been used to establish the diagnosis. Uncommonly, HSE presents as a mild and slowly evolving disease and clinical relapse is rare. Here, we are presenting a rare case of HSE with subacute course presenting as forgetfulness and disorientation with abnormal CSF analysis and typical MRI findings consistent with HSE and CSF polymerase chain reaction positive for herpes simplex virus-1 DNA, who responded well to Acyclovir therapy with recovery.