Detection of Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV I) in biological material by PCR method, qualitative
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) is a member of the Herpesviridae family. Following primary infection, the virus remains in the body for life (within nerve ganglia) and may periodically reactivate.
Clinical manifestations
- Lesions/erosions on the lips, in the oral cavity, and oropharynx; herpetic stomatitis.
- Conjunctivitis/keratitis (eye pain, photophobia, tearing, decreased vision).
- Genital/urethral symptoms and lesions (HSV-1 may also be the cause).
- Severe or widespread skin and mucosal involvement, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
- Suspected central nervous system (CNS) involvement: encephalitis/meningitis (fever, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, seizures).
Features
- Latency and recurrence: the virus remains dormant in nerve tissue and may reactivate periodically.
- Routes of transmission: most commonly through contact with saliva or active lesions (kissing, sharing utensils during active infection, oral sex); transmission may also occur during asymptomatic viral shedding.
Triggers of recurrence:
- Common cold/fever, stress, sleep deprivation, UV exposure, lip trauma, hormonal fluctuations, and immunodeficiency.
- HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes (increasingly common), although genital infection has traditionally been associated with HSV-2.
- The immune system does not completely eliminate the virus: antibodies reduce the severity of symptoms but do not prevent recurrences.
- The virus is unstable in the environment, but it is efficiently transmitted through direct skin-to-skin or mucosal contact with active lesions.