Severe acute pharyngotonsillitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 in an homosexual man – Report of A case and review of the literature

Michael Dan, Infectious Disease Clinic, Maccabi Health Services, Bat Yam, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Eyal Yeheskeli, Department of Otolarygology-Head and Neck Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Abstract
A 30-year-old homosexual man developed pharyngotonsillitis the severity of which necessitated hospitalization for parenteral fluid therapy. Subsequent to unsatisfactory clinical response to antibiotic therapy and the negative tests for group A Streptococcus, together with the ulcerative aspect of tonsillar lesions, the diagnosis of herpes simplex virus, type 2 (HSV-2) was made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, and was confirmed by serology. HSV-2 can be responsible for infections “above the waist”, and is accountable for up to 10 percent of oral herpeotic infections. Clinicians should consider HSV-2 as a potential cause of pharyngotonsillitis in sexually active individuals, especially if streptococcal culture is negative.

Keywords
herpes simplex virus, , herpes simplex virus, type 2, pharyngotonsillitis, genito-oral transmission, homosexuality

Cite this paper
Michael Dan, Eyal Yeheskeli, Severe acute pharyngotonsillitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 in an homosexual man – Report of A case and review of the literature , SCIREA Journal of Clinical Medicine. Volume 6, Issue 6, December 2021 | PP. 394-399. 10.54647/cm32524

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