Diagnosing herpes simplex-1 encephalitis at the time of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Case report: We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman who was diagnosed with herpes simplex virus-1 encephalitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. The diagnosis was somehow delayed because relatives were initially cautious in bringing the patient to the hospital and, here, the work-up focus was on coronavirusrelated aspects as the patient was initially reputed to be infected with COVID-19. Conclusions: During the current viral outbreak, physicians should not neglect the possibility of other diseases that represent neurological emergencies and require immediate recognition and treatment.