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.
Of infants born with HSV infection, about 20 percent have localized infections of the eyes, mouth, or skin.
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.