HSV Flashcards
How to identify HSV?
- Tzanck smear
- Cowdry type A
Tzanck smear definition and where see
A smear of an opened skin vesicle to detect multinucleated giant cells seen in HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV infection
Cowdry type-A definition
Intranuclear eosinophilic (large pink to purple) inclusion
- Memory aid:*
- PIN – pink (eosinophilic) intranuclear inclusion
Site of latency
- HSV 1
- HSV 2
- HSV 1
- Trigeminal ganglia
- HSV 2
- Lumbosacral ganglia
Memory aid:
- 1 site – trigeminal
- 2 sites – lumbar and sacral
HSV 1 route of transmission
Respiratory secretions, saliva
Memory aid:
- _O_ne – _o_ropharyngeal
- _O_ne – _o_ral, _n_asal
Disease (s) caused by HSV 1
- Cold sore (herpes labialis)
- Gingivostomatitis
- Keratoconjunctivitis
- Genital herpes
- Herpetic whitlow on finger
- Herpes gladiatorum on trunk
- Temporal lobe encephalitis
- Esophagitis
- Erythema multiforme
Erythema multiforme definition and characteristics
- Hypersensitivity reaction usually triggered by infections → presents with a skin eruption characterised by a typical target lesion
- Minor type
- Skin only
- Major type
- Skin and mucous membrane
Lesions are seen on the fingers of dentists and hospital personnel
Herpetic whitlow
Most striking and common lesion of HSV 1
Gingivitis
Diagnostics for herpes encephalitis
CSF PCR
What is the drug of choice for HSV 1 infection? When is it given? What is the purpose?
- DOC
- Acyclovir
- When given
- Only given with vesicular lesion; no effect on the latent state
- Effects
- Shortens the duration of the lesions
- Reduces the extent of shedding of the virus
HSV 2 transmission
- Sexual contact
- Perinatal
- Skin or mucous membrane contact
Disease (s) caused by HSV 2
- Herpes genitalis
- Neonatal herpes
- Meningitis
Meningitis incidence of HSV-1 versus HSV-2
Viral meningitis more common with HSV-2 than with HSV-1
Herpes encephalitis usually affects which lobe of the brain?
The temporal lobe
