It is common knowledge that more than 90% of the population is affected by the herpes simplex virus. According to the World Health Organization, worldwide, more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 60 are infected with the herpes simplex virus type 1 – the most common etiological factor in the occurrence of oral herpes. As for the herpes simplex virus of the second type – the main causative agent of genital herpes – 417 million people in the world aged 15 to 49 are infected with it.
In this case, the primary infection with the herpes simplex virus of the first type can occur even at the time of birth, while the infection with the pathogen of the second type occurs with the onset of sexual activity. Both types of herpes lead to the chronic course of the pathological infectious process. Most often, this disease has a latent clinical course, and its recurrence is the result of exposure to certain triggers. Read more about them, as well as about typical clinical symptoms and modern approaches to the treatment of herpetic skin lesions, on estet-portal.com in this article.
How the herpes simplex virus first enters the human body
Primary infection with the herpes simplex virus occurs through direct contact with body fluids or skin lesions of an infected person.
Herpes simplex virus is neurotropic: after entering the epithelium, the pathogen is transported along the dendrites of neurons to the sensory ganglion.
The DNA of the pathogen is integrated into the genetic apparatus of the sensitive neuron, which leads to lifelong persistence of the infection. At the same time, immune defense mechanisms (cellular and humoral) prevent the generalization of infection, but cannot eliminate herpes simplex virus from the human body. The impact of adverse factors, which will be discussed in more detail later in the article, leads to transient immunosuppression and subsequent reactivation of the virus: its particles are transported back to the epithelium along the dendrites of neurons and cause symptoms of the disease.
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What adverse factors lead to reactivation of the herpes simplex virus
The onset of a typical herpetic skin lesion is usually preceded by subjective symptoms such as tingling, burning, and itching. Subsequently, skin erythema appears, which eventually begins to limit numerous groups of vesicles containing serous fluid. Vesicles can merge with each other, and also turn into pustules. In place of these morphological elements, over time, superficial erosions of the skin occur, which then heal without a trace. The duration of the disease averages from one to two weeks, but may vary.
Unfavorable factors that can lead to reactivation of the herpes simplex virus are:
1. Hypercooling;
2. Mechanical injury to the skin;
3. Dental procedures;
4. Influence of stress;
5. UV irradiation of the skin;
6. Sunburn of the skin;
7. Transient immunosuppression due to previous influenza or other acute viral infection.
People diagnosed with atopic dermatitis profuse herpetic lesions of the skin of the face may be observed. But this condition should not be confused with the dissemination of the herpes simplex virus against the background of immunodeficiency.
Treatment of skin lesions associated with herpes simplex virus
The use of antiviral drugs has been proven to be effective in the treatment of dermatological diseases associated with the herpes simplex virus.
The sooner the treatment of diseases associated with the herpes simplex virus is started, the more likely it is to be successful.
On average, the duration of therapy for herpes infection is 5 days, but can be extended up to 10 days in case of a severe clinical picture of the disease.
The treatment of herpes infection includes the following components:
1. Topical therapy: the use of creams containing acyclovir or panciclovir is effective in case of a mild course of the disease. The cream should be applied to the affected areas of the skin with a thin layer every 2-4 hours. In order to reduce exudative processes, it is advisable to apply zinc ointment.
2. Systemic therapy: used in the case of moderate and severe course of the pathological process. There are such schemes for systemic treatment of herpetic infection:
1. Aciclovir: 200 mg 5 times a day 5 – 10 days;
2. Valacyclovir: 500 mg twice a day 5 – 10 days. It is also possible to use the drug at a dose of 2000 mg (4 tablets of 500 mg) with an interval of 12 hours twice a day in case of a mild clinical course of the disease.
3. Famciclovir: 250 mg 3 times a day 5 – 10 days.
If a recurrence of herpes infection occurs against the background of concomitant immunodeficiency, it is necessary to prescribe higher doses of antiviral drugs. The duration of therapy and the dosage of active substances in such cases should be selected by the doctor individually in each individual case.
Thank you for staying with estet-portal.com. Read other interesting articles in the "Dermatology" section. You might also be interested in Aesthetic procedures and the herpes simplex virus: how to avoid complications.
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