Herpes (oral / genital)

Cause: Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2)
Transmission: Direct contact, fomites, and STD
Symptoms: Painful sores on face (HSV1), genitalia (HSV2), body, fingers
Complications: keratitis, encephalitis, systemic infection of neonates
Pathogenesis: Primary infection of mucoepithelial cell causes cytopathic effect and syncytia. Cell-mediated immune response further damages cells, resulting in blisters/sores
Complications: Immunocompromised patients (AIDS) and neonates - virus disseminates, infects all organs (lesions, encephalitis, coma/death)
Latency: Results from infection of sensory neurons; reactivation causes new blisters in same area of skin.
Treatment: Acyclovir-related compounds
Immunity: memory cells reduce the severity of (but do not prevent) recurrent outbreaks
Vaccine: under development