Abstract
We encountered a case of two infants in the same family who were succeedingly infected with herpes simplex type I with manifestation of herpetic gingivostomatitis, showing gingival bleeding, gingival swelling and reddening around the teeth over a short period of time. Moreover, abscess and aphta were observed on the lips of the infants. Absorbent cotton swabs were touched on the inflammatory sites at the onset period and the cure period to investigate which was cause of these manifestation using the polymerase chain reaction technique. The specific arrangements of DNA determined from the inflammatory sites of the infants showed the same band of herpes simplex type I.
Herpes simplex type I was detected in two infants with herpetic gingivostomatitis using the polymerase chain reaction. These results also demonstrated that herpes simplex type I infected the two infants in the same family within a short period, showing intensive oral manifestation. This rapid method is useful to reveal the etiologic findings of herpetic gingivostomatitis in the period of infancy.
