How does HSV-1 affect the tongue. What are the symptoms of herpes on the tongue. How is HSV-1 on the tongue diagnosed. What treatments are available for HSV-1 on the tongue. How can you prevent HSV-1 transmission to the tongue.

Understanding HSV-1 and Its Impact on the Tongue

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a common viral infection that primarily affects the mouth and surrounding areas. While it’s most commonly associated with cold sores on the lips, HSV-1 can also cause painful sores on the tongue. This condition, often referred to as “tongue herpes,” can be uncomfortable and concerning for those who experience it.

HSV-1 is distinct from HSV-2, which is typically associated with genital herpes. However, it’s important to note that both types can potentially affect either the oral or genital regions, depending on the mode of transmission.

How HSV-1 Spreads to the Tongue

HSV-1 is highly contagious and can spread through various forms of contact. The virus can be transmitted to the tongue through:

• Direct contact with an infected person’s saliva or skin
• Kissing someone with an active cold sore
• Sharing personal items like utensils, lip balm, or toothbrushes
• Oral sex with a partner who has genital herpes

Once the virus enters the body, it can lie dormant in nerve cells for extended periods, occasionally reactivating to cause symptoms.

Recognizing the Symptoms of HSV-1 on the Tongue

Identifying HSV-1 on the tongue is crucial for prompt treatment and preventing its spread. The symptoms typically progress through several stages:

1. Initial discomfort: You may notice redness, swelling, itching, or pain in a specific area of your tongue.
2. Blister formation: Small, fluid-filled blisters appear on the affected area.
3. Ulceration: The blisters burst, forming painful ulcers.
4. Crusting and healing: The ulcers crust over and gradually heal.

In addition to these localized symptoms, some individuals may experience flu-like symptoms during their first outbreak, including fever, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes.

Is HSV-1 on the tongue always visible?

Not necessarily. Some people with HSV-1 may be asymptomatic, meaning they carry the virus but don’t show any visible signs. However, they can still transmit the virus to others, even without active sores.

Diagnosing HSV-1 Infections on the Tongue

If you suspect you have HSV-1 on your tongue, it’s essential to seek medical attention for an accurate diagnosis. Healthcare providers typically use the following methods to diagnose tongue herpes:

• Visual examination: A doctor can often identify HSV-1 sores by their appearance.
• Viral culture: A swab of fluid from an active sore is tested for the presence of the virus.
• Blood tests: These can detect HSV-1 antibodies, indicating a current or past infection.
• PCR test: This highly sensitive test can detect small amounts of HSV-1 DNA.

Can HSV-1 on the tongue be confused with other conditions?

Yes, HSV-1 sores can sometimes be mistaken for other oral conditions, such as canker sores, oral thrush, or even certain types of oral cancer. This is why professional diagnosis is crucial for appropriate treatment.

Treatment Options for HSV-1 on the Tongue

While there’s no cure for HSV-1, several treatment options can help manage symptoms and reduce the frequency of outbreaks:

Antiviral Medications

Prescription antiviral drugs are the primary treatment for HSV-1 infections. These medications can help:

• Shorten the duration of outbreaks
• Reduce the severity of symptoms
• Decrease the risk of transmission to others

Common antiviral medications for HSV-1 include acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir.

Over-the-Counter Pain Relief

To alleviate pain and discomfort associated with tongue sores, you can use:

• Oral pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Topical anesthetics containing benzocaine or lidocaine

Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes

Several home care strategies can complement medical treatments:

• Applying ice or cold compresses to soothe sores
• Rinsing with salt water to promote healing
• Avoiding spicy, acidic, or salty foods that may irritate sores
• Staying hydrated and getting adequate rest

How long does it take for HSV-1 sores on the tongue to heal?

With proper treatment, HSV-1 sores on the tongue typically heal within 1-2 weeks. However, healing time can vary depending on the individual and the severity of the outbreak.

Preventing HSV-1 Transmission and Recurrences

While it’s not always possible to prevent HSV-1 infection, several strategies can reduce the risk of transmission and minimize recurrences:

Preventing Initial Infection

• Avoid kissing or engaging in oral sex with someone who has an active cold sore
• Don’t share personal items like lip balm, utensils, or towels
• Practice good hand hygiene, especially after touching your mouth or face

Reducing Recurrences

• Manage stress through relaxation techniques or exercise
• Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle
• Use sun protection on your lips and face
• Consider suppressive antiviral therapy if you experience frequent outbreaks

Can HSV-1 on the tongue be completely prevented?

While complete prevention isn’t always possible due to the prevalence of HSV-1, practicing good hygiene and being cautious during intimate contact can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

Living with HSV-1: Managing Long-Term Effects

For many people, living with HSV-1 becomes a manageable part of life. However, it’s essential to be aware of potential long-term effects and considerations:

Psychological Impact

Some individuals may experience anxiety, embarrassment, or depression related to recurring outbreaks. Seeking support from a mental health professional or joining support groups can be beneficial.

Transmission Risks

People with HSV-1 should be aware of the potential risk of transmission to partners, even when no visible sores are present. Open communication and preventive measures are crucial.

Potential Complications

While rare, HSV-1 can lead to more severe complications in certain populations, such as:

• Individuals with weakened immune systems
• Newborns exposed to the virus during childbirth
• People with eczema or other skin conditions

Does having HSV-1 on the tongue increase the risk of other health problems?

In most cases, HSV-1 on the tongue doesn’t significantly increase the risk of other health problems. However, it may make individuals more susceptible to other oral infections or complicate existing oral health issues.

Advances in HSV-1 Research and Future Treatments

The field of HSV research is continually evolving, with scientists exploring new treatments and potential vaccines. Some promising areas of research include:

Gene Editing Techniques

Researchers are investigating CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies to target and eliminate the HSV-1 virus from infected cells.

Immunotherapy

Novel approaches aim to boost the immune system’s ability to fight off HSV-1 infections more effectively.

Vaccine Development

While no HSV vaccine is currently available, several candidates are in various stages of clinical trials.

Will there ever be a cure for HSV-1?

While a definitive cure for HSV-1 remains elusive, ongoing research provides hope for more effective treatments and prevention strategies in the future.

When to Seek Medical Attention for HSV-1 on the Tongue

While many cases of HSV-1 on the tongue can be managed at home, certain situations warrant medical attention:

• Severe pain that interferes with eating or drinking
• Sores that don’t heal within two weeks
• Frequent or severe recurrences
• Symptoms accompanied by high fever or difficulty swallowing
• Spread of infection to other parts of the body

Prompt medical care can help prevent complications and ensure appropriate treatment.

Are there specific risk factors for developing severe HSV-1 infections on the tongue?

Certain factors may increase the risk of severe HSV-1 infections, including:
– Weakened immune system due to conditions like HIV/AIDS or cancer treatments
– Certain medications that suppress the immune system
– Chronic health conditions like diabetes
– Malnutrition or severe stress

Understanding these risk factors can help individuals and healthcare providers manage HSV-1 infections more effectively.

How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) most commonly causes cold sores while HSV-2 is associated with genital herpes. But, it’s also possible to contract an HSV-2 infection in the mouth from sex without a condom or other barrier method.

Herpes simplex is a type of virus known to affect both the mouth and the genitals.

There are two distinct types of virus that can cause herpes on the tongue:

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 is the type that most commonly causes cold sores.
• Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-2 is commonly associated with genital herpes.

HSV-1 is generally the one that causes herpes on the tongue. But it’s also possible to contract an HSV-2 infection in the mouth from sex without a condom or other barrier method.

There’s currently no cure for either HSV virus, but both can be treated and prevented.

Once a virus gets into your body, it uses proteins on its surface to enter a host cell.

Inside of the host cell, the virus makes additional copies of itself. These new viruses eventually leave the host cell, going on to infect new cells.

Many people who contract HSV-1 or HSV-2 are asymptomatic. This means that they have no symptoms and may not know that they have the virus.

In addition to sores and lesions, people with a recent infection may also experience flu-like symptoms. These can include:

• fever
• body aches
• swollen lymph nodes

HSV-1 and HSV-2 can lie dormant in your nerve cells (neurons). When the virus is dormant, you can go for months or years without showing any symptoms.

Sometimes, the virus can reactivate. Although some causes of reactivation are unclear, it can be due to factors such as:

• stress
• injury
• prolonged exposure to sunlight

During reactivation, you’ll often experience symptoms.

How HSV-1 is spread

In this case, HSV-1 attaches to the cells in and around your mouth. The virus then replicates and spreads to surrounding cells. Someone with an active HSV-1 infection may have symptoms like cold sores.

The herpes simplex virus, especially HSV-1, can spread through contact with the skin or saliva of someone who carries the virus or who has an active herpes infection, like a cold sore.

For example, kissing someone who has an infected cold sore in their mouth can spread the HSV-1 virus easily.

Sharing items that a person with the infection has used, such as lipstick, utensils, or shaving equipment, can put you at risk for contracting the virus and getting symptoms on your tongue.

How HSV-2 is spread

HSV-2 can also cause herpes symptoms on the tongue.

HSV-2 is mainly spread through sex without a condom or other barrier method. Therefore, you won’t necessarily get it just by touching or sharing items with someone who has the infection.

Here are some possible ways HSV-2 can be transmitted to your mouth or tongue:

• Giving or receiving oral sex without a barrier method with someone who has an infected herpes sore on or around their genitals. It can spread especially easily if the sore is producing pus or discharge.
• Making oral contact with sexual body fluids like semen or vaginal discharge with someone who carries the virus or who has an active infection.
• Making contact between the mouth and anus when the anus skin has an open, infected sore on it.

Herpes symptoms on your tongue usually come in the form of red, swollen, sensitive blisters. The blisters start with mild discomfort and progress to increasingly painful sores.

Here are the stages of a herpes infection that you can typically expect from tongue herpes:

1. You’ll notice redness, swelling, itchiness, or pain in a specific area of your tongue. This is likely where the sore will appear.
2. On the tongue, you may see a white substance that turns into yellowish ulcers.
3. Ulcers also might appear on your throat, the roof of your mouth, and inside your cheeks.

Your doctor will most likely be able to identify and diagnose an HSV-1 infection by looking at sores on your tongue or mouth.

Share on PinterestHerpes blisters on the tongue. Photo Credit: CDC/ Robert E. Sumpter, 1967.

This is part of a physical exam in which your doctor may also check the rest of your body for any other symptoms. This can also help rule out other causes like HSV-2.

Your doctor can use a cotton swab to collect fluid from a sore and send it to a lab to test for the presence of HSV-1 virus RNA. This is called a herpes culture. This test can also diagnose HSV-2 if that’s the actual cause.

Your doctor may suggest a blood test if you don’t have open, active sores on your tongue.

An HSV-1 blood test involves taking a small sample of your blood and sending it to a lab to check it for antibodies. Your immune system creates these antibodies to fight off HSV-1 viral infections.

There’s no cure for the HSV-1 virus. Instead, you can manage symptoms, such as tongue sores, and reduce the chance of frequent outbreaks.

Sores will sometimes just go away on their own — no treatment needed.

But if you have severe or frequent outbreaks, your doctor may prescribe one of the following antiviral treatments as a pill, topical cream, or ointment:

• valacyclovir (Valtrex)
• famciclovir
• acyclovir (Zovirax)

You may also get one of these medications as an injection if your symptoms are severe. Antiviral medications help reduce the chance you’ll transmit the virus to others.

Here’s what you can do to prevent exposure to the herpes virus:

• Don’t make direct physical contact with others, particularly if they have an active infection.
• Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time. If the virus is present on your hands, this will prevent it from passing to other parts of your body or to other people.
• If any clothes, blankets, or sheets have made contact with infected sores, wash them in hot water as soon as possible.
• Don’t share items that can make contact with people’s skin or mouths, such as:
  • lip products
  • makeup
  • towels
  • cups
  • utensils
  • clothes
• Use a cotton swab to put antiviral medication on open, infected sores so that the virus doesn’t pass to your hands.
• Don’t have oral, anal, or genital sex during an outbreak, including a tongue herpes outbreak.
• Use condoms or other protective barriers, such as dental dams, whenever you have sex.

See your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms along with herpes-like blisters or sores in your mouth:

• pain or discomfort in your mouth or tongue that gets increasingly worse over time, especially after a week or longer
• flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue or fever
• unusually cloudy or discolored discharge that comes out of your genitals

Tongue herpes is usually not a cause for concern. Sores will often go away on their own and only come back occasionally during outbreaks.

But herpes can be spread easily through close contact, particularly if you have an active infection. Because of this, you’ll need to take precautions to make sure you don’t pass the infection to others.

Taking these same precautions can help prevent you from contracting the infection in the first place, too.

How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) most commonly causes cold sores while HSV-2 is associated with genital herpes. But, it’s also possible to contract an HSV-2 infection in the mouth from sex without a condom or other barrier method.

Herpes simplex is a type of virus known to affect both the mouth and the genitals.

There are two distinct types of virus that can cause herpes on the tongue:

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 is the type that most commonly causes cold sores.
• Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-2 is commonly associated with genital herpes.

HSV-1 is generally the one that causes herpes on the tongue. But it’s also possible to contract an HSV-2 infection in the mouth from sex without a condom or other barrier method.

There’s currently no cure for either HSV virus, but both can be treated and prevented.

Once a virus gets into your body, it uses proteins on its surface to enter a host cell.

Inside of the host cell, the virus makes additional copies of itself. These new viruses eventually leave the host cell, going on to infect new cells.

Many people who contract HSV-1 or HSV-2 are asymptomatic. This means that they have no symptoms and may not know that they have the virus.

In addition to sores and lesions, people with a recent infection may also experience flu-like symptoms. These can include:

• fever
• body aches
• swollen lymph nodes

HSV-1 and HSV-2 can lie dormant in your nerve cells (neurons). When the virus is dormant, you can go for months or years without showing any symptoms.

Sometimes, the virus can reactivate. Although some causes of reactivation are unclear, it can be due to factors such as:

• stress
• injury
• prolonged exposure to sunlight

During reactivation, you’ll often experience symptoms.

How HSV-1 is spread

In this case, HSV-1 attaches to the cells in and around your mouth. The virus then replicates and spreads to surrounding cells. Someone with an active HSV-1 infection may have symptoms like cold sores.

The herpes simplex virus, especially HSV-1, can spread through contact with the skin or saliva of someone who carries the virus or who has an active herpes infection, like a cold sore.

For example, kissing someone who has an infected cold sore in their mouth can spread the HSV-1 virus easily.

Sharing items that a person with the infection has used, such as lipstick, utensils, or shaving equipment, can put you at risk for contracting the virus and getting symptoms on your tongue.

How HSV-2 is spread

HSV-2 can also cause herpes symptoms on the tongue.

HSV-2 is mainly spread through sex without a condom or other barrier method. Therefore, you won’t necessarily get it just by touching or sharing items with someone who has the infection.

Here are some possible ways HSV-2 can be transmitted to your mouth or tongue:

• Giving or receiving oral sex without a barrier method with someone who has an infected herpes sore on or around their genitals. It can spread especially easily if the sore is producing pus or discharge.
• Making oral contact with sexual body fluids like semen or vaginal discharge with someone who carries the virus or who has an active infection.
• Making contact between the mouth and anus when the anus skin has an open, infected sore on it.

Herpes symptoms on your tongue usually come in the form of red, swollen, sensitive blisters. The blisters start with mild discomfort and progress to increasingly painful sores.

Here are the stages of a herpes infection that you can typically expect from tongue herpes:

1. You’ll notice redness, swelling, itchiness, or pain in a specific area of your tongue. This is likely where the sore will appear.
2. On the tongue, you may see a white substance that turns into yellowish ulcers.
3. Ulcers also might appear on your throat, the roof of your mouth, and inside your cheeks.

Your doctor will most likely be able to identify and diagnose an HSV-1 infection by looking at sores on your tongue or mouth.

Share on PinterestHerpes blisters on the tongue. Photo Credit: CDC/ Robert E. Sumpter, 1967.

This is part of a physical exam in which your doctor may also check the rest of your body for any other symptoms. This can also help rule out other causes like HSV-2.

Your doctor can use a cotton swab to collect fluid from a sore and send it to a lab to test for the presence of HSV-1 virus RNA. This is called a herpes culture. This test can also diagnose HSV-2 if that’s the actual cause.

Your doctor may suggest a blood test if you don’t have open, active sores on your tongue.

An HSV-1 blood test involves taking a small sample of your blood and sending it to a lab to check it for antibodies. Your immune system creates these antibodies to fight off HSV-1 viral infections.

There’s no cure for the HSV-1 virus. Instead, you can manage symptoms, such as tongue sores, and reduce the chance of frequent outbreaks.

Sores will sometimes just go away on their own — no treatment needed.

But if you have severe or frequent outbreaks, your doctor may prescribe one of the following antiviral treatments as a pill, topical cream, or ointment:

• valacyclovir (Valtrex)
• famciclovir
• acyclovir (Zovirax)

You may also get one of these medications as an injection if your symptoms are severe. Antiviral medications help reduce the chance you’ll transmit the virus to others.

Here’s what you can do to prevent exposure to the herpes virus:

• Don’t make direct physical contact with others, particularly if they have an active infection.
• Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time. If the virus is present on your hands, this will prevent it from passing to other parts of your body or to other people.
• If any clothes, blankets, or sheets have made contact with infected sores, wash them in hot water as soon as possible.
• Don’t share items that can make contact with people’s skin or mouths, such as:
  • lip products
  • makeup
  • towels
  • cups
  • utensils
  • clothes
• Use a cotton swab to put antiviral medication on open, infected sores so that the virus doesn’t pass to your hands.
• Don’t have oral, anal, or genital sex during an outbreak, including a tongue herpes outbreak.
• Use condoms or other protective barriers, such as dental dams, whenever you have sex.

See your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms along with herpes-like blisters or sores in your mouth:

• pain or discomfort in your mouth or tongue that gets increasingly worse over time, especially after a week or longer
• flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue or fever
• unusually cloudy or discolored discharge that comes out of your genitals

Tongue herpes is usually not a cause for concern. Sores will often go away on their own and only come back occasionally during outbreaks.

But herpes can be spread easily through close contact, particularly if you have an active infection. Because of this, you’ll need to take precautions to make sure you don’t pass the infection to others.

Taking these same precautions can help prevent you from contracting the infection in the first place, too.

Herpes Simplex Virus 1/2, DNA [real-time PCR]

real-time reaction (RT-PCR) determines the genetic material (DNA) of the herpes simplex virus.

Synonyms Russian

Herpes virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), herpes detection by DNA.

Synonyms English

Herpes Simplex Virus, Type 1 and Type 2, HSV-1 or HSV-2 IgM or IgG, HSV-1, HSV-2, HHV1, HHV2.

Test method

Real-time polymerase chain reaction.

What biomaterial can be used for research?

Throat swab (oropharynx), prostate secretion, first portion of morning urine, rectal scraping, saliva, scraping from erosive and ulcerative elements, urogenital scraping, ejaculate, venous, capillary blood, cerebrospinal fluid.

General information about the study

PCR can detect even a small amount of virus particles in biological material. It allows you to identify herpes viruses, regardless of the duration of infection, even at a time when antibodies have not yet formed.

The most common are the 1st and 2nd types of herpes. Both are contagious and contribute to the appearance of small bubbles (vesicles) on the mucous membranes, which burst, forming open sores. In HSV-1, blisters appear around the mouth and in the oral cavity, while HSV-2 usually affects areas in the genital area.

Herpes simplex virus can be transmitted through skin contact when there are vesicles on the skin, and sometimes when there are no visible lesions on the skin. HSV-2 is often referred to as a sexually transmitted disease, but HSV-1 herpes infection can also occur, for example, through oral sex. According to WHO, from 50% to 80% of the adult population of developed countries is infected with herpes type 1 and about 20% with type 2. Because type 2 symptoms are subtle, 90% of those infected with it may be unaware of their infection.

In the case of a primary infection, painful blisters usually develop at the infection site after two weeks, which usually disappear after four weeks. They appear on the genitals, around the anus, on the buttocks or on the thighs, after which they can burst. You may also experience flu-like symptoms, such as chills and a sore throat.

However, herpes vesicles do not always form. Sometimes the manifestations of the disease are so mild that they go unnoticed or are mistaken for something else, such as insect bites or allergies. After the infection enters the body and spreads, the herpes virus is in a latent form. With stress or other diseases that lead to a decrease in immunity, it can be activated again. In most cases, herpes simplex is not dangerous to health, but it can cause serious illnesses: neonatal herpes (if a child becomes infected during childbirth from a mother infected with genital herpes) and encephalitis. They can lead to serious incurable neurological diseases and even death. The following factors increase the risk of contracting herpes:

• diseases that suppress the immune system (e.g. HIV/AIDS),
• organ transplant.

Currently, there is no cure for herpes, however, there are antiviral drugs that suppress its spread, as well as shorten the duration of the acute phase of a viral infection and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

What is research used for?

• To detect herpes virus infection of the genital organs in men and women and monitor its treatment.
• To test a woman for herpes before and during pregnancy (if there is a risk of infection).

When is the test ordered?

• If necessary, confirm or deny the fact of genital herpes infection.

What do the results mean?

Reference values: negative.

Positive result

• The body is affected by the virus. The result is indicated in crosses depending on the amount of genetic material identified during the study.

Negative

• Most often, the absence of infection of the genital organs with the herpes virus.

What can influence the result?

• Antiviral therapy can reduce the amount of virus in epithelial cells, but due to the high sensitivity of the PCR method, this rarely leads to false negative results.
• Errors at the sampling stage, when a sufficient number of virus-infected cells are not included in the sample for analysis, can lead to false negative results.

Important Notes

• Herpes is most dangerous for newborns who contracted it from their mother and for immunocompromised patients.
• Herpes increases the risk of HIV infection. Moreover, it can make HIV-infected patients even more contagious by increasing the amount of immunodeficiency virus in their blood.
• Herpes simplex virus in combination with papillomavirus increases the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Also recommended

• Herpes Simplex Virus 1/2, IgM
• Herpes Simplex Virus 1/2, IgG, titer
• Herpes Simplex Virus 1/2, DNA [real-time PCR]
• Herpes Simplex Virus 1/2 immunofluorescence
• Human Papillomavirus of high carcinogenic risk (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59), DNA genotyping [real-time PCR]

Who orders the examination?

Gynecologist, urologist, dermatologist, infectious disease specialist, pediatrician.

Herpes simplex virus I, II types (H simplex 1/2, Herpes I/II, HSV 1 and 2) (IgG class antibodies), (semi-quantitative)

Description
Preparation

Most often, the first and second type of virus occurs. They are contagious and contribute to the formation of small bubbles on the mucous membranes that burst, forming open wounds. In HSV-1, vesicles appear mainly around the mouth and in the oral cavity, while HSV-2 usually affects areas in the genital area.
The herpes simplex virus can be transmitted through skin contact, contact with blisters, and sometimes even in the absence of visible lesions.
Sexually transmitted HSV-2 is more common, however, infection with herpes HSV-1 can also occur, for example, during oral sex. According to WHO, from 50% to 80% of the adult population of developed countries is infected with herpes of the first type and about 20% of herpes of the second type. Since the symptoms are often subtle, 90% may not even be aware of their infection.
In the case of primary infection, painful blisters usually form at the site of infection after two weeks, which usually disappear after four weeks. They appear on the genitals, around the anus, on the buttocks or on the thighs, after which they can burst. You may also have flu-like symptoms, such as chills and sore throat.
However, vesicles with herpes are not always formed. Sometimes the manifestations of the disease are so mild that they go unnoticed or are mistaken for something else, such as insect bites or allergies. After entering the body and spreading, the herpes virus is in a latent form. With stress or other diseases that lead to a decrease in immunity, it can be activated again. In most cases, herpes simplex is not dangerous to health, but it can cause serious illnesses: neonatal herpes (if a child becomes infected during childbirth from a mother infected with genital herpes) and encephalitis. They can lead to serious incurable neurological diseases and even death.

The following factors increase the risk of contracting herpes:

• diseases that suppress the immune system (for example, HIV/AIDS),
• organ transplant.

There are antiviral drugs that suppress the spread of herpes, as well as shorten the duration of the acute phase of a viral infection and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

Antibodies are produced to fight infection. The formation of IgG to the herpes simplex virus begins a few days after the appearance of IgM. The concentration of IgG in the blood first increases for several weeks, then falls, and then stabilizes. With repeated infection with herpes, it increases much faster – already in the first days of infection. After a disease, small amounts of IgG remain in a person until the end of life, which, however, does not provide one hundred percent protection against re-infection.

What is analysis used for?

• As an auxiliary study to confirm the diagnosis with symptoms of herpetic lesions (ulcers, vesicles on the mucous membranes) or neonatal herpes.
• To screen certain groups of people, such as those who are sexually active, potential recipients infected with the AIDS virus, or those who have previously been exposed to HSV infection.

When is the test ordered?

• When examining persons who have been in contact with patients with HSV.
• During preparation for pregnancy and in monitoring it.

What do the results mean?

Reference values ​​
S/CO ratio (signal/cutoff): 0 – 0.9.
A positive result indicates the presence of IgG antibodies to HSV-1 or HSV-2, indicating either an active or past herpes virus infection.

A negative result indicates a low probability of an acute herpes virus infection, and also that the body has not previously come into contact with the herpes simplex virus. However, immediately after infection, when a sufficient amount of antibodies has not yet been developed, the result may be false negative.