Herpes simplex virus type 1 shedding in the oral cavity of seropositive patients.
OBJECTIVE
Investigate the frequency of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) reactivation in the oral cavity of seropositive patients with previous history of recurrent herpes labialis (recrudescent group) compared with those without any history of recrudescent lesions (asymptomatic HSV-1 infection). In addition, the relation between recrudescence and the presence of the virus in the saliva was assessed.


METHODS
Fourteen individuals with previous history of herpes labialis (recrudescent group) and 11 HSV-1 seropositive asymptomatic volunteers were included in the study. Swabs were performed periodically in all subjects and the presence of HSV-1 DNA was identified by nested PCR.


RESULTS
All the 25 subjects enrolled in the study, revealed at least one positive swab for HSV-1. The frequency of HSV-1 positivity in the group with recrudescent herpes labialis was not statistically different from the other group. Ten subjects of the recrudescent group presented with herpes labialis at least once during the study.


CONCLUSIONS
HSV-1 shedding in the oral cavity occurs independently of herpes labialis recrudescence.
da Silva
L M
LM
Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Guimarães
A L S
AL
Victória
J M N
JM
Gomes
C C
CC
Gomez
R S
RS
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D017201:Virus Shedding