A 16-year-old male with a low-grade fever, and large and painful red sores around his lips is being evaluated at a pediatric clinic. He has a PCR test pending that was swabbed from the sores, as well as a blood culture with Gram stain, and nasopharyngeal specimen for microscopic examination.
-Analysis of the laboratory samples yield a diagnosis of herpes simplex virus.The patient's mother is upset,as she does not believe her son is sexually active.The nurse explains that the presence of HSV does not imply sexual contact and provides education about the accuracy of the results.Which of the following is the best rationale for confidence in the diagnosis?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

PCR tests are highly sensitive and specific for detecting herpes simplex virus. They are considered the gold standard for diagnosing HSV infections. Signs and symptoms alone are not always diagnostic, and HSV cannot be definitively identified by light microscopy or Gram stain.

A 16-Year-Old Male with a Low-Grade Fever, and Large and Painful