Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and 2 (HSV-1/2):
Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV) are members of the Herpesviridae family, characterized as large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA viruses. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are highly neurotropic, meaning they infect nerve cells, establishing lifelong latent infections in sensory ganglia after the primary infection resolves.

Diseases caused by Herpes Simplex Virus:
HSV-1 is classically associated with oral lesions, causing gingivostomatitis and cold sores (herpes labialis), but it can also cause genital infection. HSV-2 is the main cause of genital herpes, resulting in painful genital and anal lesions. Both types can cause potentially severe conditions, including herpes keratitis (eye infection), neonatal herpes in infants, and herpes encephalitis, which is a rare but severe neurological infection. Lesions are recurrent due to reactivation from latency.

Detection and Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Virus:
Diagnosis can be clinical, based on the appearance of characteristic vesicular lesions. Laboratory confirmation includes direct detection of viral DNA via PCR from a swab of an active lesion, which is the most sensitive method. Serological tests that detect type-specific antibodies (IgG and IgM) to HSV-1 and HSV-2 are used to determine past exposure, distinguish between the two types, and screen asymptomatic individuals.