The occurrence of herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 in skin and mucosal lesions in patients with suspicion of genital herpes.
BACKGROUND
Infection with herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV 1 and 2 or Human herpesvirus HHV) are one of the most common infections in human. Real time PCR is a sensitive and specific method for diagnostics of HHV infections. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of HHV 1 and HHV 2 DNA in patient with clinical symptoms suggesting HHV infection.


METHODS
We used real time PCR to investigate swabs from genital and perianal lesions from 74 patients of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology Medical University Warsaw and of gynecological outpatient clinics in Warsaw 40 women and 34 men.


RESULTS
The results were positive for HHV 2 in 25 cases (34%), for HHV 1 in 19 cases (26%) and for both viruses in 20 cases (27%). 10 samples were negative for both viruses.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirm that the main cause of symptomatic genital herpes is HHV 2, however the percentage of HHV 1 and specially of mixed HHV 1/HHV 2 infections was unexpectedly high.
Emilia
E
Gorka
Beata
B
Mlynarczyk-Bonikowska
Paulina
P
Machura
Anna
A
Majewska
Tomasz
T
Dzieciqtkowski
Grazyna
G
Mlynarzyk
Magdalena
M
Malejczyk
Slawomir
S
Majewski
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005835:Genitalia / Q000821:virology*; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000821:virology; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral