A nurse practitioner's guide to the management of herpes simplex virus-1 in children.

This state of the science clinical article focuses on ways pediatric clinicians can manage herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infections in children and adolescents. HSV-1 infections can be transmitted during close contact with asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals (Waggoner-Fountain & Grossman, 2004). Recurrent HSV-1 outbreaks are believed to be caused by various endogenous and exogenous triggers. These HSV-1 outbreaks cause physical and emotional consequences in children and their families. HSV-1 infections in children most commonly cause gingivostomatitis, but these infections can also cause various skin infections, including herpetic whitlow, herpes gladiatorum, eczema herpeticum, and herpes genitalis. It is critical for pediatric clinicians to be familiar with the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations in order to effectively identify, manage, and treat HSV-1 infections with a variety of topical or systemic medications, as well as with prevention strategies and nutritional supplementations.