Herpes Simplex and Varicella Zoster Virus

Question: A 36-year-old man was admitted to the hospital after going to the emergency department and stating that for 7 months he had been experiencing numbness and weakness in his right leg. He had lost 25 pounds, was experiencing bowel incontinence, and had been unable to urinate for 3 days. Two years previously the patient had been diagnosed with HIV infection. A physical examination demonstrated bilateral, lower-extremity weakness, and his reflexes were slowed throughout his body. Kaposi's sarcoma lesions were noted, especially on the lower extremities. Thrush and herpes lesions in the perianal area were also observed. The patient was afebrile. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination ruled out spinal cord compression. The patient had a history of intravenous drug abuse, chronic diarrhea for 1 and a half years, Kaposi's sarcoma for 2 years, and pancytopenia for several weeks. The patient had large right arachnoid cysts of congenital origin. No previous laboratory reports indicated infectious agents in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Meningitis was suspected, and the patient was admitted with a diagnosis of polyradiculopathy secondary to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Blood and CSF were collected. Although numerous white blood cells were found, the CSF produced no growth on routine bacteriologic culture. The blood cultures were also negative. Acyclovir was administered after culture results were received. I want to discuss acyclovir a little more here since we aren't connecting the use of acyclovir with the patients symptoms in the case study from question one this week. Could anything that acyclovir was prescribed to treat also play a part in some of the symptoms that the class originally said was solely caused by the HIV virus. Answer: In this case the patient has been prescribed with acyclovir drug. It is a generic drug that is primarily used for the treatment of the diseases those are caused due to Herpes simplex virus, Varicella zoster virus and sometimes for HIV virus (Lascaux et al., 2012). This drug prevents the synthesis of viral DNA by inactivating the DNA polymerase enzyme in the viral cell (Perkins et al.,. The patient has been suffering from AIDS and he was suspected to have Meningitis which can cause by Herpes simplex virus and Varicella zoster virus. Hence, from the case study it can be concluded that the patient was prescribed with acyclovir because he was suffering from HIV and Meningitis (Lingappa et al., 2010). References: Lascaux, A. S., Caumes, E., Deback, C., Melica, G., Challine, D., Agut, H., Lvy, Y. (2012). Successful treatment of aciclovir and foscarnet resistant Herpes simplex virus lesions with topical imiquimod in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.Journal of medical virology,84(2), 194-197. Lingappa, J. R., Baeten, J. M., Wald, A., Hughes, J. P., Thomas, K. K., Mujugira, A., ... Ronald, A. (2010). Daily aciclovir for HIV-1 disease progression in people dually infected with HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus type 2: a randomised placebo-controlled trial.The Lancet,375(9717), 824-833. Perkins, N., Nisbet, M., Thomas, M. (2011). Topical imiquimod treatment of aciclovir-resistant herpes simplex disease: case series and literature review.Sexually transmitted infections,87(4), 292-295.