Relationship between iron status and recrudescent herpes labialis

A prospective study was undertaken to assess the relationship between recrudescent herpes labialis and host iron status. Forty-one patients with recrudescent herpes labialis, proven by herpes simplex virus isolation, were studied along with an equal number of age-and-sex matched control subjects. The iron status of patients and controls were assessed by haematine assay of ferritin. The iron (ferritin) level in patients with recrudescent herpes labialis was significantly (p<0.01) lower than in the control group. Only one patient was anaemic. Sideropenia appears to be a common finding in patients with recrudescent herpes labialis. The relationship between sideropenia and recrudescent herpes labialis requires further study as it may have implications for the management of the disease.