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There were no deaths among the 85 infants with localized HSV infection.The mortality rate was significantly higher in the 46 neonates with disseminated infection(57 percent)than in the 71 with encephalitis(15 percent).In addition,the risk of death was increased in neonates who were in or near coma at entry(relative risk,5.2),had disseminated intravascular coagulopathy(relative risk,3.8),or were premature(relative risk,3.7).In babies with disseminated disease,HSV pneumonitis was also associated with greater mortality(relative risk,3.6).In the survivors,morbidity was most frequent in infants with encephalitis(relative risk,4.4),disseminated infection(relative risk,2.1),seizures(relative risk,3.0),or infection with HSV type 2(relative risk,4.9).With HSV infection limited to the skin,eyes, or mouth,the presence of three or more recurrences of vesicles was associated with an increased risk of neurologic impairment as compared with two or fewer recurrences. |
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