WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS?
Symptoms vary depending on the stage of the virus: the initial or primary outbreak, latency, and recurrence. Both herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 produce similar symptoms, but they can differ in severity depending on the site of infection. [ See Table, below.] More than 60% of new HSV-2 infections and about a third of new HSV-1 infections do not produce symptoms. Symptom Stages of All Herpes Simplex Viruses Symptoms of Primary Infection. A primary outbreak may take the following path: • Skin eruptions may appear two to 12 days after the initial exposure to the virus. • The first sign of infection is fluid accumulation (edema) at the infection site, which is quickly followed by small, grouped blisters, the characteristic HSV lesions. • These form on an inflamed skin base, which is more visible in dry skin areas. • The blisters then dry out and heal rapidly without scarring. Blisters in moist areas heal more slowly. The lesions may sometimes itch, but itching decreases as lesions heal. •
