[Iridoplegia-areflexia syndrome (Weill/Reys-Holmes-Adie), symptoms and etiology as persistent herpes simplex virus infection].

Looking for additional symptoms and signs of the iridoplegia-areflexia-syndrome referable to its unknown etiology we have found spotlike trigeminal numbness, edema, and/or redness suggestive of herpetic origin and more often common signs of herpes simplex virus-infection (HSVI). Indeed the whole picture of the syndrome as we see and describe it, can be explained by typical features of the HSVI. These include persisting HSVI of only the distal sensible or vegetative neurones and recurrence of infection with further destruction of ganglia-cells. These criteria are also decisive whether symptoms and signs may belong to the syndrome or not. To prove the hypothesis of HSVI etiology through other means is a necessity but seems to be difficult.