Glottic Infection by Herpes Simplex Virus in an Irradiated Patient

Herpetic laryngitis is extremely rare in healthy adults. The local factors that increase susceptibility to herpes simplex virus include irradiation on the head and neck area. A 66-year-old man who had history of supraglottic cancer had voice change 4 years after the radiotherapy. On laryngscopic examination, the erosive mucosal lesion was found on his left vocal fold. A pathologic examination of the lesion by suspension laryngoscopy revealed that the lesion was herpetic laryngitis, which was confirmed by immunohistochemical stain as herpes simplex virus. Her petic laryngitis should be in the index of differential diagnosis in patients with laryngitis who have the history of irradiation on the neck.