Isolation of herpes simplex virus from the cerebrospinal fluid in viral meningitis.

Two cases of meningitis are reported in which the etiologic diagnosis was established by isolation of herpes simplex virus from the cerebrospinal fluid. Both patients were afebrile and had bradycardia when the cultures were obtained, and one patient had been thought to have leukemic meningitis. This experience added to that of others in the literature indicates the value of culture for herpes simplex virus in the cerebrospinal fluid.