Antiviral therapy in herpes virus infections

Herpes viruses are large, enveloped DNA viruses. There are currently 8 known human herpes viruses and 1 primate species that is a rare human pathogen. Most people have been infected with several human herpes viruses. In immunocompetent individuals primary infections with herpes viruses are generally mild, self-limiting infections. After primary infection, herpes viruses remain latent in either sensory nerve ganglia or immune cells. Latency may persist indefinitely unless immune suppression develops, in which case recurrent disease can become life threatening. In the immunocompetent patient, clinical recurrences that are milder than the primary infection are the hallmark of herpes virus infections