In some individuals, HSV can be reactivated from a latent state.
It is estimated that between one in 1,000 and one in 5,000 infants are born with HSV infections.
In order to begin early, effective treatment, it is critical for pediatricians to diagnose HSV infection in newborns as soon as possible.
In HSV infections, tissue culture is the best method to confirm the diagnosis.
A positive smear cannot distinguish between varicella zoster virus and HSV-1, and a negative smear does not rule out HSV infection.