Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus)
1990 Case Definition
Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus)
1990 Case Definition
Print
1990 Case Definition
Clinical Description
An illness characterized by visible, painful genital or anogenital lesions
Laboratory Criteria For Diagnosis
- Isolation of herpes simplex virus from cervix, urethra, or anogenital lesion, OR
- Demonstration of virus by antigen detection technique in clinical specimens from cervix, urethra, or anogenital lesion, OR
- Demonstration of multinucleated giant cells on a Tzanck smear of scrapings from an anogenital lesion
Case Classification
Probable
A clinically compatible case (in which primary and secondary syphilis have been ruled out by serology and darkfield microscopy, when available) with either a diagnosis of genital herpes based on clinical presentation (without laboratory confirmation) or a history of one or more previous episodes of similar genital lesions
Confirmed
A clinically compatible case that is laboratory confirmed
Comments
Herpes should be reported only once per patient. The first diagnosis for a patient with no previous diagnosis should be reported.
Related Case Definition(s)
Last Reviewed: April 16, 2021