What Are the Common Causes of Cold Sores?

Cold sore is an acute herpestic skin disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. Humans are the only natural host of herpes simplex virus. This virus exists in the blister fluid, saliva, and feces of patients, restorers, or healthy carriers. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact and can also be transmitted through tableware contaminated with saliva. Indirect infection.

Basic Information

English name

herpes labialis

Visiting department

Stomatology

Common causes

Caused by DNA virus herpes simplex virus

Common symptoms

Erythema and blisters appear on lips, around the nostrils, and on the cheeks, and feel itching and burning

Causes of cold sores

The disease is caused by the herpes simplex virus of the DNA virus. Human herpes simplex virus is divided into two types, herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) and herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-II). Type I mainly causes infection of skin and mucous membranes (oral mucosa) and organs (brain) outside the genitals. Type II mainly causes skin and mucous membrane infections in the genital area. The virus enters the body through the respiratory tract, oral cavity, genital mucosa, and damaged skin, and resides in the human normal mucosa, blood, saliva, and sensory ganglion cells. When the body's resistance decreases, such as fever, gastrointestinal dysfunction, menstruation, fatigue, etc., the latent HSV in the body is activated and becomes ill.

Clinical manifestations of cold sores

Herpes simplex virus infection: Herpes simplex virus, the infection caused by the number of CD4T lymphocytes, the formation of ulcerative lesions on the lips, genitals, perianal area, herpes ulcer (extensive skin erosion) and other refractory lesions, pain is obvious You can also see herpes pneumonia and herpes encephalitis.

1. Erythema and blisters appear on the lips, around the nostrils, and on the cheeks, and feel itching and burning.

2. There are erythema, blisters on the vulva, and itching sensation.

Cold sores check

1. Mainly moderate or above cellular immunodeficiency includes: CD4 ⁺ T lymphocyte depletion: T lymphocyte function declines, peripheral blood lymphocytes significantly decrease, CD4 <200 / l, CD4 / CD8 <1.0, (1.25-2.1 in normal people) ), Late-onset allergy negative skin test, low response to mitogen stimulation.

2. B lymphocyte dysfunction: polyclonal hyperglobulinemia, formation of circulating immune complexes and autoantibody formation.

3. Natural killer cells (NK cells) activity decreased.

Cold sores treatment

The course of herpes simplex is usually 1 week. Even without treatment, as long as there is no secondary bacterial infection, it will be cured after 1 week. But the disease is easy to recur; in severe cases, it can cause adjacent lymph nodes to swell.

Local treatment

(1) 3% boric acid solution or normal saline For those with obvious blisters or local swelling, apply wet until the damage subsides.

(2) 1% ~ 2% gentian violet liquid is applied to the affected area twice a day.

(3) Apply 3% acyclovir ointment topically, several times a day.

(4) Apply 0.5% neomycin ointment topically.

2. Systemic treatment

(1) Intramuscular injection of gamma globulin , once every other day, a total of 3 to 4 times.

(2) Cimetidine Orally, 3 to 4 times a day for 5 days.

(3) Vitamins Oral vitamin C, vitamin B ₂ or multivitamin B.

(4) Acyclovir orally, 5 times a day. Severe patients can be administered intravenously. Acyclovir is added to a 5% glucose injection intravenously, 2 to 3 times a day for 5 days.

(5) Antibiotics Antibiotics (penicillin, vanguardin) are used for secondary infections.