Herpes esophagitis is a viral infection that involves inflammation and ulcers in the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

The herpes simplex virus causes herpes esophagitis.

Infection of the esophagus by the herpes simplex virus is rare in people with normal immune systems and usually runs its course without treatment. However, severe and difficult-to-treat esophagitis can occur in people with a suppressed or weakened immune system.

The following raise your risk for herpes esophagitis:

• HIV/AIDS
• Chemotherapy
• Diabetes
• Leukemia or lymphoma
• Organ transplants
• Other conditions that suppress or weaken your immune system

Images

Herpetic esophagitis

Upper gastrointestinal system

Next Section

Herpes esophagitis Symptoms

Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)