What is herpes labialis?

• A. Infection common in childhood which causes acute inflammation of the oral soft tissues
• B. Cold sores which reoccur after the initial herpes simplex infection
• C. A viral infection of the skin
• D. A bacterial oral infection

Answer: (B)

Herpes labialis refers to cold sores caused by herpes simplex virus type 1. After the first HSV-1 infection, the virus remains latent in the trigeminal ganglion and can reactivate later, producing recurrent outbreaks on the lips or around the mouth. Clinically, you’ll see vesicles on the lip margin that crust and heal over about one to two weeks, and outbreaks can be triggered by sun exposure, stress, or illness. It is contagious during the active lesions. The description that fits best is the reoccurrence of cold sores after the initial herpes simplex infection. The initial HSV infection in childhood, which can cause widespread mouth ulcers (primary herpetic gingivostomatitis), is a different clinical event rather than herpes labialis.