Herpes simplex type 1 infections in group day care.
To characterize patterns of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection, illness and transmission among children in group day care, the data for 115 children who had been followed longitudinally from early infancy in a research day care center were examined. By 5 years of age 37% of study children had evidence of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection as demonstrated by virus isolation and/or seroconversion. The incidence of infection was highest among children 1 to 2 years old. Four small clusters of primary infections were observed over the 12-year study period but no cluster involved more than 6 children. Fifty-five percent of primary infections occurred during these small outbreaks; the remainder were sporadic. Gingivostomatitis was observed in 26% of children with primary culture-proved infections; no child with infection identified solely by serologic means had a history of gingivostomatitis. The occurrence of gingivostomatitis did not appear to be associated with increased transmission of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in this day-care setting.
Schmitt
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Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-8180.
Johnson
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Henderson
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D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013283:Stomatitis, Herpetic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States
D000914:Antibodies, Viral