Herpes simples: patogênese, diagnóstico e tratamento atual com agentes antivirais.

Abstract

Herpes, disease caused by herpes virus 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Herpesvirus simplex 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) are DNA virus belonging to Herpesviridae family. The aim of the study was to conduct a narrative bibliographic review of herpesvirus simplex, including pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment with antivirals. The research was conducted in databases, books and articles. HSV-1 establish latency in neural ganglia and cause lesions in the oral region, it can also cause disseminated infections and herpetic encephalitis principally in immunocompromised hosts and neonates. HSV-1 is the principal agent of oro-labial lesions and HSV-2 is the principal agent of genital lesions. The infection is transmitted through contact with viral particles present in secretions of infected people. In immunocompromised patients the lesions tend to be more severe and persistent. The treatments available for HSV-1 infection diminish viral multiplication, the sintomatology and duration of the replicative phase. The first choice treatment is aciclovir, others medicaments are penciclovir, fanciclovir and valaciclovir. Foscarnet and cidofovir are used in the treatment of resistant infections to aciclovir. HSV-1 can mutate which cause resistance to drugs used in the treatment, these mutations are related to thymidine-kinase and DNA polymerase genes, enzymes involved in the viral replication mechanism, these mutations are more frequent in immunocompromised patients. It was possible through the conducted study to gather informations about patogeny, diagnosis and treatment of HSV-1.