OVERVIEW

An Introduction to the Herpes Viruses is organized by The American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA).

Accreditation:
CE Credits: 2

Course Description:
The word herpes evokes an emotional response from almost everyone. Eighty to ninety-five percent of the world’s population has serological evidence of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1, generally orolabial herpes), which often presents itself as a “cold sore” on the lip(s.) Only twenty-to-thirty percent of the U.S. population is seropositive for the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2, generally genital herpes) which is considered a sexually transmitted disease.1

Add childhood chickenpox, adult shingles, infectious mononucleosis, the immunosuppressant drugs used by cancer and organ-transplant patients, along with the increasing number of immunosuppressed patients who have HIV and AIDS, and it’s not hard to understand why we are now seeing a greater incidence of herpes infections.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the dental professional should be able to:
• Describe the symptoms of an active herpes infection.
• Identify the signs of an active herpes infection.
• Differentiate between herpes type 1, herpes type 2, varicella, and Epstein-Barr infections.
• Discuss how the different herpes viruses are transmitted.
• Identify which forms of herpes have available vaccines.
• Summarize the principal complication of a “shingles” outbreak.

Original Release Date: 2010; Review Date: 2019; Expiration Date: 2022

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.