Herpes simplex virus 1 is a prevalent neurotropic pathogen that infects and establishes latency in peripheral sensory neurons. It can migrate into the central nervous system and cause encephalitis. The association between herpes simplex virus encephalitis and cerebral venous thrombosis is rare, with a very limited number of case reports described in the literature, despite the recognized thrombogenic effects of the virus. A 44-year-old man was brought to the emergency department with generalized tonic-clonic seizures requiring sedation and ventilation to control it. Initial brain computed tomography revealed cortical and subcortical edema on the left frontal lobe, and a subsequent contrast-enhanced exam showed absence of venous flow over the anterior half of the superior sagittal sinus. Cerebrospinal fluid polymerase chain reaction was positive for herpes simplex virus type 1, and the patient was started on acyclovir and anticoagulation, with clinical improvement. Acyclovir administration was maintained for 14 days and oral anticoagulation for one year, with no recurrence of thrombotic events or other complications. A well-timed treatment has a validated prognostic impact on herpes simplex encephalitis, making early recognition of its clinical aspects of main importance.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome is a condition in which individuals have an increased risk of developing different types of cancer when compared to the general population. BRCA1 repair associated (BRCA1) and BRCA2 repair associated (BRCA2) genes are tumor suppressor genes that play a crucial role in cell, by repairing DNA damage. Mutations in these genes are responsible for 25% of HBOC cases. Individuals with this syndrome are often subjected to diagnostic imaging techniques, as well as therapeutic options, that use ionizing radiation, so it is crucial to understand whether these individuals may present higher radiosensitivity and, therefore, its consequences. Several studies have been carried out to understand if the exposure to different ionizing radiation doses can induce cancer in individuals with HBOC. Some of these studies have shown that individuals with HBOC are hypersensitive to the ionizing radiation and, therefore, have neoplasms resulting from mutations in genes that are important in maintaining genomic stability. When mutated, genes no longer guarantee this stability and promote the induction of carcinogenesis. Oppositely, other studies show that there is no association between exposure to ionizing radiation and an increased risk of developing cancer. Thus, the results are inconsistent, and there is a great need to clarify this relationship. In this review, we present the characteristics of HBOC syndrome and the effects that ionizing radiation can induce in individuals who have it. In addition, we review the studies that have already been carried out on this subject.