Three Consecutive Episodes of Acute Retinal Necrosis Due to Herpes Simplex-1 over Twelve Years Following Herpetic Encephalitis

PURPOSE: To report a case of multiple delayed recurrence of acute retinal necrosis syndrome occurring in the same eye following initial herpetic encephalitis. METHODS: Case report and review of literature. RESULTS: An otherwise healthy 67-year-old woman experienced three episodes of acute retinal necrosis in the left eye 3 months, 3 years, and 12 years, respectively, following initial herpes simplex-1 encephalitis. This is the first case report of more than one such recurrence, moreover in the same eye, and with such long interval. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates that extremely long intervals between initial herpetic encephalitis and acute necrosis syndrome recurrence can occur, thus warranting a long follow-up of these patients.