Herpes Simplex Encephalitis during Treatment with Tumor Necrosis Factor–α Inhibitors

Abstract

We report 3 cases of herpes simplex virus encephalitis in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors for rheumatologic disorders. Although TNF-alpha inhibitors have been reported to increase the risk of other infectious diseases, to our knowledge, an association between anti-TNF-alpha drugs and herpes simplex virus encephalitis has not been previously described.