From Volume 38, Issue 6, July 2011 | Pages 368-374
Human herpes simplex 1 virus (HSV-1) is a DNA virus that has the ability to lie latent and be subsequently re-activated at any point during a patient's life. In the immunocompetent patient, resolution of clinical signs and symptoms usually occurs spontaneously after 14 days. In the immunocompromised patient, healing is often delayed and the effects are much more debilitating. Indications for therapeutic regimes of systemic antiviral treatment are discussed.
The human herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is a member of the Herpesviradae family (Table 1).1 All herpes viruses share characteristic architecture, all being close to 200 nm in diameter and consisting of a liquid crystalline DNA core surrounded by a nucleocapsid and envelope.2 After primary infection, the herpes viruses remain in a repressed latent state in infected cells3 until re-activated by certain stimuli, including co-infection, eg the common cold, stress, menstruation, hormones, fever, ultraviolet radiation, trauma and immunosuppression.
NB: HHV6 and 7 are not relevant to the dental surgeon's clinical practice.
HSV-1 is a common cause of infection in the orofacial region and is one of the most common viral infections seen in the general population, with 45–98% of the world population reportedly HSV-1 seropositive.2,4 Primary infection with HSV-1 is generally acquired in early childhood. Determinant factors influencing infection prevalence include:
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