Low- and High-Intensity Lasers in the Treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection

Author(s)

Bello-Silva, Marina Stella ^{[1, 2]} ; de Freitas, Patricia Moreira ^{[1, 2]} ; Correa Aranha, Ana Cecilia ^{[1, 2]} ; Lage-Marques, Jose Luiz ^{[2, 3]} ; Simoes, Alyne ^{[2, 4]} ; Eduardo, Carlos de Paula ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Dept Restorat Dent, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Ctr Res Teaching & Clin Lasers Dent, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Dept Endodont, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Dept Dent Mat, Oral Biol Res Ctr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Photomedicine and Laser Surgery; v. 28, n. 1, p. 135-139, FEB 2010.
• Web of Science Citations: 19

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most common viral infections of the human being. Although most of the seropositive persons do not manifest symptoms, infected individuals may present recurrent infections, characterized by cold sores. HSV-1 infection can result in potentially harmful complications in some patients, especially in those with compromised immunity. We report a clinical case of a patient with severe oral HSV-1 infection in the lower lip. The treatment of the lesions with the association of high-intensity (erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet, 2.94 mu m, 80 mJ/pulse, 2-4 Hz) and low-intensity (indium gallium aluminum phosphide, 660 nm, 3.8 J/cm(2), 10mW) lasers has not been reported in the literature. During treatment, no systemic or topical medication was used. Pain sensitivity was completely gone after the first irradiation with the low-intensity laser. During the healing process, lesions were traumatized twice, on the days 4 and 7. Even though the lesions were completely healed within 10 days. (AU)