Clinical Epidemiology of Symptomatic Primary Herpetic Infection in Children

We have studied a series of 50 children with clinical primary herpetic infection during 1975-1985. Our data confirm: absence of sex differences and seasonal variations, a peak age of incidence between 6 and 24 months, a prevalence of patients of lower social status, evidence of recurrent herpes labialis as the most frequent source of infection, and frequency of herpes simplex virus 1 gingivostomatitis. The relevant findings of this study were as follows: herpes simplex virus 2 was isolated in 10% of the patients, 6% of cases occurred in the first six months of life, infection was multifocal in 36% of cases, autoinoculation was a frequent route of transmission of genital primary infection in young children, herpetic Kaposi-Juliusberg's pustulosis in infants with atopic dermatitis was the most severe presentation of primary infection and should be more adequately prevented.