What are the symptoms of recurrent herpes simplex virus attacks

The herpes simplex virus is very easy to spread in life, so patients with this disease are prone to relapse during treatment. Herpes simplex is a common skin disease that can occur all over the body and the wounds are contagious to a certain extent.

Common clinical manifestations are:

①Acute herpetic gingivitis. It is the most common primary infection. The onset is acute, with fever, redness and congestion of the oral cavity, tongue mucosa and gums, and the appearance of clusters of blisters, which rupture to form small ulcers. The ulcers can extend to the throat, palate, and occasionally to the esophagus and trachea. The patient has pain in the mouth and tongue, and enlarged and tender lymph nodes in the neck. It usually heals itself after 1 to 2 weeks.

②Skin herpes. Herpes often occurs in local skin, the skin around the herpes becomes congested, and the herpes dries and forms scabs and heals. Eczema that occurs on the basis of skin eczema is called eczema herpeticum. HSV infection in patients with herpetic eczema and skin burns can cause systemic infection, severe illness and high mortality rate.

③Acute herpetic keratoconjunctivitis. Herpes can be seen locally on the bulbar conjunctiva, with little secretion. When the lesion is in the cornea, dendritic ulcers can be seen on the surface of the cornea. Deeper ulcers may cause corneal leukoplakia after healing, which often affects vision. They may also cause anterior chamber abscess, iridocyclitis and uveitis, which may cause blindness.

④Genital herpes. It is mostly caused by HSV-2, which is a sexually transmitted disease that occurs in the cervix, vagina or vulva of women, and the glans penis, foreskin, coronal sulcus and surrounding skin of men. Herpes occurs first, which then breaks down to become superficial ulcers, causing local pain, and may also be accompanied by fever, difficulty urinating, and swollen and tender inguinal lymph nodes.

⑤Acute herpetic nervous system infection. It is less common and may manifest as encephalitis, meningitis, myelitis, radiculitis, etc. Herpes encephalitis is a serious disease with a mortality rate of around 50%, and survivors often suffer from permanent sequelae.