Herpes lymphadenitis in association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

BACKGROUND Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections range in severity from common cutaneous outbreaks to life‐threatening central nervous system and deep organ involvement. HSV lymphadenitis is extremely rare but occurs both as a component of widely disseminated disease and as a localized, mild illness. METHODS Five patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) underwent lymph node biopsy and were found to have histologic and immunophenotypic evidence of HSV infection in association with CLL. RESULTS The patients were 3 males and 2 females ranging in age from 50 to 86 years. Only 1 patient had clinical evidence of cutaneous herpes at any time; in that patient, herpes lymphadenitis preceded the cutaneous herpes by 3 years. Four patients received no therapy for herpes at any time, whereas one was treated with intravenous and oral acyclovir. One patient died of CLL approximately 20 months after herpes lymphadenitis was diagnosed. The remaining four patients are alive with CLL. No patient had a fulminant clinical course related to HSV or developed disseminated infection. CONCLUSIONS Herpes lymphadenitis may not have a fulminant course even in immunosuppressed CLL patients, even if they receive no antiviral therapy. Cancer 1999;86:1210–5. © 1999 American Cancer Society. Herpes lymphadenitis may be seen in association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The infection may follow an indolent course even if untreated.