Pediatria pre prax 3/2016

Herpes simplex virus infection in children

Infections, in which the causative agent is the virus belonging to the family Herpesviridae are the most widespread and the most common viral diseases in general. The highest seroprevalence in the population of children has herpes simplex virus. Herpes simlex virus infection may vary from asymptomatic (in which case the presence of the virus can be demonstrated only by using diagnostic tests) to life-threating conditions (for example the herpetic neonatal sepsis). The primary infection is mostly acquired in early childhood, after that the virus persists lifelong in the cells of sensory ganglia (trigeminal or sacral). The ability of reactivation is typical for this virus, and is usually affected by the irritating factors among which are stress, weakened immunity or UV radiation. Herpes can also recur for no apparent reason. There is no causal therapy for this disease, but with adequate patient managment and correctly chosen therapy we can cut down the duration of clinical manifestation and lower the number of recidives.

Keywords: herpes simplex virus, primary infection, reactivation, latency, acyclovir