viral skin infections

Dermatology Dr. Hussein A. Al-Sultany


Viral Skin Infections

Herpesviruses

Herpesviruses belong to Herpesviridae which is a large family of DNA viruses.
There are eight distinct viruses in this family known to cause disease in humans (human herpes viruses (HHV)), include:


Virus type
Diseases
HHV-1 (HSV-1) Herpes Labialis.
HHV-2 (HSV-2) Herpes Genitalis.
HHV-3 (VZV) Chickenpox and Herpes Zoster (HZ).

HHV-4 (EBV) Infectious Mononucleosis.

HHV-5 (CMV) Infectious Mononucleosis-like syndrome.
HHV-6 Roseola Infantum.

HHV-7 Pityriasis Rosea.
HHV-8 Kaposi s Sarcoma.


Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV):

It has been separated into two types:
Type 1: are usually orofacial (herpes labialis).
Type 2: are usually genital (herpes genitalis).
The virus usually spread by direct contact.
Herpes viruses are not curable, after the episode of the primary infection, the virus may become latent, possibly within nerve ganglia, but still capable of giving rise to recurrent bouts of vesication (recurrences or recrudescences).

Presentation:
1- Primary infection:
A- Herpes labialis: the most common recognizable manifestation in children is an acute gingivostomatitis, accompanied by malaise, headache, fever and cervical lymphoadenopathy. Vesicles, soon turning into small ulcers, can be seen scattered over the lips and mucous membranes. The illness lasts about 2 weeks.
B- Herpes genitalis: usually transmitted sexually, cause multiple and painful genital or perianal vesicles which rapidly ulcerate.
C- Herpetic whitlow: result from direct inoculation of the virus into the skin causing a pus-filled blisters on a fingertip, mostly seen in medical personnel and children.
2- Recurrent (recrudescent) infections:
A- Herpes labialis: usually on the lips and the vermilion border (can occur anywhere on face).
B- Herpes genitalis: usually on the genitalia, but can occur anywhere.
? The lesions usually recur at the same place.