Infant with Maternal Herpes Infection Receives Corneal Transplant

An infant who acquired oral herpes from his mother while in utero is believed to be the youngest patient to undergo a corneal transplant at Bristol Eye Hospital. Brooke Hale, 28, recounted her profound fear when her son was delivered 12 weeks prematurely, appearing “burnt all over” and sightless in one eye. Luca’s birth weight was merely two and a half pounds, and his skin was “red raw.” Medical professionals initially suspected a skin condition; however, tests conducted on Brooke’s placenta revealed an infection with HSV1, a herpes strain associated with cold sores. While benign for adults, this virus poses significant risks to infants. Both Brooke and her husband Luke, 41, carry the prevalent HSV1 (herpes simplex 1), a persistent virus present in approximately 70% of the UK population. Neither parent anticipated its transmission during pregnancy, and their two other daughters, Sofia, five, and Bella, three, remained unaffected. Although HSV-1 typically presents no harm to adults, it can be fatal for infants due to their underdeveloped immune systems. Luca, born at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol in December 2023, remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for 12 weeks. The virus’s spread to his cornea resulted in the loss of sight in his right eye. He continues to receive medication intravenously 24 hours a day to avert recurrences. On October 10th of this year, Luca underwent a cornea transplant at the Bristol Eye Hospital, becoming its youngest patient to receive such a procedure. Research published in the British Medical Journal in 2021 indicates that approximately 6.9 cases of neonatal HSV occur per 100,000 live births in the UK. “It’s very, very rare for the HSV1 virus to transfer in the womb – the consultant said they had never seen a case at St Michael’s before,” Mrs. Hale informed the Press Association. “Luca was two and a half pounds when he was born, which in itself is quite scary,” she stated. “His skin looked like it had been burnt all over – it was red raw, and he was obviously tiny.” “But he is the happiest boy. He’ll have an operation and be laughing straight away like nothing seems to phase him.” Brooke expressed her eagerness to celebrate Christmas with her family, noting that Luca was hospitalized during the previous year’s holiday season. “It feels like Luca’s first Christmas even though it’s technically not,” Ms. Hale remarked. “We put the decorations up last weekend – it was quite emotional.” Mrs. Hale reported that initial pregnancy scans indicated Luca’s health. However, worries emerged following a 4D ultrasound on December 8, 2023. Four days subsequent to experiencing what she believed were Braxton Hicks contractions, Mrs. Hale delivered Luca at 28 weeks, a full 12 weeks ahead of his due date. “It took him a good five minutes to breathe on his own, and they took him straight from me and put him in what looked like a plastic bag to keep him warm,” Mrs. Hale recounted. “I remember just looking at him, and at that point I started crying because it was a lot to take in,” she commented. “His skin was so sore – every time you touched him, he just squealed. They were spraying him every four hours with Vaseline.” Following 12 weeks of hospitalization, Luca was released on February 22, 2024. Mrs. Hale has commended the personnel at St Michael’s Hospital and initiated a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect funds for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, which has garnered £7,000 in contributions to date. For further updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.