Medicolegal aspects of the mismanagement of patients with herpesvirus infections

Abstract

As more antiviral drugs become available for treating virus infections, the correct choice of drug and prompt diagnosis and treatment are becoming increasingly important. The most frequent legal negligence cases arise from delays in clinical or laboratory diagnosis of herpesvirus infections and delays in initiating the correct antiviral drug treatment. Herpes simplex virus encephalitis in all groups of patients and herpes simplex virus and varicellazoster virus (chickenpox and shingles) infections in immunocompropmised patients give rise to most complaints because of their severe consequences for patients.