Herpetic stomatitis is an infectious disease provoked by the herpes virus. Explained by contact with simple herpetic viruses. Most often, the disease is provoked in children from one to five years of age, but it also occurs in adolescents and adults. As a rule, the foci are localized on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, lips. Possible red border of the lips, redness of the skin near the mouth. The disease can be mild, moderate or severe.
How to notice?
Symptoms of herpetic stomatitis include fever. If the disease is mild, the fever is subfebrile, with a more complex variant, an increase of up to 40 degrees is possible. The patient has intoxication, expressed by lethargy, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance and disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.
Indicating the need for treatment, a symptom of herpetic stomatitis is a larger than normal size of the lymph nodes. This area is painful. As a rule, the reaction of the lymph nodes is fixed before rashes appear on the oral mucosa.
Disease Clinic
A good idea of the clinical picture is given by the photos published in specialized medical reference books: herpetic stomatitis in the catarrhal form is usually accompanied by erosion near the edge of the gum. Numerous foci of erosive damage are possible on the mucous membranes - often their number exceeds a dozen. Forms are usually round or oval, diameter - from a millimeter to five. It is possible to merge areas, which leads to the formation of a large focus of damage. The outlines in this case are polycyclic. As a rule, stomatitis provokes painful areas of violation of the integrity of the mucous membranes. These areas are covered with fibrinous secretions, have a yellowish tint of gray, and are outlined at the edges by a bright red rim.
In the portfolio of clinics dealing with viral diseases, you can see photos of herpetic stomatitis in children. Studying them, you can see that the patient is characterized by numerous rashes in the form of small blisters on the skin, on the red border surrounding the erosion focus. The contents of the blisters are a transparent substance, it is possible to include blood if the pathology is severe. When the rash opens, an ulcer appears, over time, a crust forms on its surface.
Clarification of the diagnosis
If you suspect acute herpetic stomatitis, you should consult a doctor to determine the exact diagnosis and select the optimal treatment program. The doctor collects a medical history, clarifies the general characteristics of the patient (first of all, age), studies clinicalmanifestations in the oral cavity. From the area affected by erosion, scrapings are taken for cytological examination. Samples should be taken within the first seven days of outbreak formation. If the cause of the disease is a herpes virus, the resulting organic tissues will contain multinucleated giant cell formations.
Histological examination of herpetic stomatitis will manifest itself as intraepithelial cavities and dystrophic processes proceeding according to the balloon scenario - they cover the spiny epithelial cell layer.
What to do?
How to treat herpetic stomatitis, the doctor will tell when the diagnosis is confirmed. The doctor will choose the optimal medication course. It includes antiviral drugs if the patient asked for help in the first week after the onset of the disease. Popular options are medicines Acyclovir, Famciclovir, Bonafton. In tablet form, the drugs are used one tablet five times daily. The duration of the program is five days. In the absence of a reaction, it is necessary to consult a doctor to replace the drug with a more effective one for a particular case. Topical application of antiviral agents in the form of ointments, gels, applications is possible.
At elevated temperature, the patient is prescribed means to reduce it and alleviate pain in areas damaged by the virus. As a rule, the treatment of herpetic stomatitis involves the use of paracetamol, Panadol, Efferalgan, Tylenol. If the patient is a child, it is recommendeduse suspensions and syrups, tablets are shown to adults. The dosage is determined based on age and weight, the strength of manifestations. For example, children are prescribed paracetamol 0.15 g three times daily.
What else will help?
Treatment of herpetic stomatitis usually involves the use of antihistamines. Syrups are shown to children, tablets are shown to adults. Popular names are Tavegil, Claritin. You can use "Suprastin" and "Fenkarol".
To increase the immune status, it is recommended to use Imudon. This is a complex antigenic drug complex, under the influence of which the phagocytic effect of the secretions of the salivary glands is enhanced, the concentration of lysozyme in the secret increases. "Imudon" is available in the form of tablets intended for resorption, it is used for food up to eight times a day. Another good remedy is sodium nucleinate.
It is also recommended to use vitamin complexes that increase the body's ability to fight viral cells. With herpetic stomatitis, Ascorutin is considered especially useful, it is prescribed for both minors and adult patients. It is recommended to consume vitamin C daily - at least three times a day, 0.1 g or more. Not only pharmaceutical products are good, but also natural sources of ascorbic acid.
Topical therapy
To alleviate the manifestations of acute herpetic stomatitis in children and adults, local anesthesia agents are used. The most popular option is application application.pyro-, trime-, lidocaine. For lotions use a two percent solution. Apply the application half an hour before meals.
After each meal, it is necessary to treat the oral cavity with disinfectants. Apply solutions of chlorhexidine, furacilin or potassium permanganate. These can be bought at any pharmacy, and the price for them is quite low, so something from the listed list is in the first aid kit of almost anyone.
To clean the foci of erosion from necrotic tissues, you can use products with enzymes. Solutions of trypsin, chymotrypsin have proven themselves well. To stimulate the regeneration of the epithelium, it is recommended to use vitamin oil solutions, natural oils - sea buckthorn, dog rose. Stimulate the restoration of epithelial covers "Solcoseryl", "Tykveol" and "Karotolin". On sale, the preparations are represented by ointments, gels and special pastes, which are characterized by an increased adhesive ability when applied to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity.
What else to try?
Treatment of herpetic stomatitis in children and adults usually involves the use of local remedies to stop viral activity. Such medications are most effective in the first week after the onset of primary symptoms. You can use ointments, make applications with therapeutic solutions. The duration of the procedure is about half an hour, the frequency is up to seven times daily, the duration of the program is about a week. Popular remedies - Acyclovir, Bonafton in the form of ointments, as well ashelepin, alpizarin ointment and containing florenal. For local use, leukocyte interferon is used to stop the focus of viral activity. The drug is produced in the form of a solution for applications or ointment.
To inhibit the activity of inflammatory processes in herpetic stomatitis in adults, children use Cholisal, Mundizal gel. These medicines contain salicylates, due to which the pain syndrome is weakened, the inflammatory process becomes less active. The products have an antimicrobial effect.
Aniline dyes can be used for faster healing. The most commonly used alcohol solution, popularly known as Zelenka. They treat the red border of the lips and damage to the skin.
Course nuances
With herpetic stomatitis, it is necessary to eat grated food. Do not use products that harm the oral mucosa or irritate tissues. It is shown to drink a lot of clean water without additives.
When following the program developed by the doctor, the prognosis is favorable. As a rule, a complete cure is possible in a week or two. Scars usually do not form.
Chronic illness
In this form, herpetic stomatitis in children, adults is quite widespread. It manifests itself if a person at some point was infected with a simple herpes virus. In the absence of antibodies in the circulatory system that can inhibit viral activity, a relapse of the disease is observed. The likelihood of occurrence is especially high in conditions of a reduced immune status, which canbring external aggressive factors, local. Often, outbreaks are observed with hypothermia, poisoning, a stressful situation, against the background of another disease.
Specialized studies have identified five stages in the development of the disease. First, an incubation step, then a prodromal period, after which the disease develops, fades away and recovery or convalescence occurs. At the second stage, the patient feels unwell, the lymph nodes grow, the temperature becomes higher than normal, saliva is actively generated, and foci of inflammation can be seen on the oral mucosa.
Over time, individual bubbles appear, rashes adjacent to each other and soon open. This area becomes the focus of erosion. The edges of the areas are scalloped, the lesions are painful, localized on the mucosa in the most inflamed places.
Features of the case
The severity of chronic herpetic stomatitis in children and adults is determined by the general condition of the person, the number of foci, the degree of their damage. With a low immune status, the disease is severe. This is also true for those who suffer from several chronic diseases. This group is characterized by frequent relapses, due to which the form can be transformed into a persistent chronic.
It is important to distinguish between aphthous and chronic herpetic stomatitis. Manifestations of the disease are somewhat similar to allergic reactions, erythema, syphilis. To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor evaluates the clinical manifestations, makes a cytological analysis of the substance obtained from the vesicles.
How to help a patient?
If herpetic stomatitis occurs in a chronic form, therapy is aimed at preventing relapse. It is necessary to timely identify and treat any infectious, inflammatory foci in the body (regardless of the area of localization). Particular attention is paid to the oral cavity. Eruptions are more likely if the lips are dry, cracked, so it is important to deal with these local phenomena.
An anti-herpetic polio vaccine would be beneficial if the recurrence rate is high. Application is possible only under the supervision of a doctor, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended scheme, course.
Good results are shown by the use of gamma globulin, deoxyribonuclease. The patient is shown vitamin C in large doses. In some cases, it is reasonable to resort to helium treatment. For this, special devices are used - neon lasers.
Tender age: features
About 80% of children suffer from herpetic stomatitis at some point in their childhood. Infection occurs not only through close contact with the carrier of the virus, but also by aerosol means. Usually, primary infection occurs at a time when the child's immunity is weakened. This results in an acute form.
To clarify the case, the child needs to be shown to the doctor. The doctor will examine the patient, ask the parents about the appearance of the disease. To verify the diagnosis, they can be sent for tests: PCR, immunofluorescence, virological analysis.
Usually, a child's illness begins acutely, the temperature rises, ulcers and blisters form in the mouth. These areas are of concernsoreness. Saliva becomes more viscous. With stomatitis caused by a herpetic virus, the child is drawn to sleep. A possible complication is gingivitis.
Treatment of children: features
To alleviate the patient's condition, the doctor prescribes lotions, rinses, ointments. If a very small child gets sick, parents will have to treat the affected areas with cotton swabs, since the kids have not yet learned how to rinse their mouths. The main objective of the course is to relieve pain, alleviate the general condition, prevent the spread of the disease and stimulate regenerative processes.
As a rule, the first measures are decontamination. You can use pharmaceutical products or folk remedies - infusions, decoctions of medicinal plants. Of the pharmacy products, Furacilin, Rivanol are most often used. The treatment is repeated every three hours. A good result shows "Miramistin". If the baby already knows how to rinse his mouth, the procedure is carried out four times daily. The duration of the rinse is one minute. An alternative method of use is to spray the mucous membranes of the mouth with a spray bottle.
Continue course
After cleaning the oral cavity and disinfecting the mucous membranes, you can apply an ointment to relieve pain and stop the activity of pathological microorganisms. Apply oxolinic, bonafton, interferon ointment. Sometimes doctors recommend stopping at ointments with florenal, tebrofen.
To speed up regeneration, pharmacy aerosols and ointments are suitable. You can use "Tantum Verde" and "Proposol". Goodthe drug "Ingalipt" has proven itself. When the most acute period has passed, you can use rosehip and sea buckthorn oil, juice and pulp of aloe leaves as a wound healing agent.
If it is impossible to get to the doctor, the first signs of herpetic stomatitis are barely noticed, it is worth using ointments to relieve symptoms. Suitable local analgesic drugs - "Kalgel", "Cholisal". Children are allowed funds "Kamistad" and "Dentinoks".
You can stimulate the immune system and improve the overall status of the body by using immunomodulating agents. These are more indicated if the disease flows into a chronic form. Immunomodulators are an effective method of preventing relapse. A popular remedy is Amiksin.
Features of treatment
To increase local immunity, you can use special children's toothpastes. They are sold in almost any pharmacy and contain lysozyme, lactoferrin, glucose oxidase. To quickly neutralize the virus, you can use Zovirax. Children are shown tablets orally with four-hour breaks, the dosage is 0.2 g. The duration of the program is five days. You can apply ointment, cream. If stomatitis is very difficult, it is necessary to use "Acyclovir" intravenously. The drug is administered using a dropper under the supervision of a doctor.
Antipyretics are prescribed if the temperature rises to 38 degrees and above. At lower rates shoot downtemperature is not required, as antipyretics inhibit the production of interferon, and therefore weaken the activity of the immune system.
