Detection of HSV1 and HSV2 viruses among Iraqi patients with recurrent Stomatitis Aphthous

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a global oral case that stay incompletely understood yet. It was classified into three main types of minor, major or herpetiform, based on clinical features, but the exact causative agent is unknown, therefore treatments are primarily should be experimental and aimed at decrease symptoms rather than remedy or prevention. The aim of study is to detection of Herpes simplex virus-1 and Herpes simplex virus-2 in saliva of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) as a causative agents of the disease by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, and correlation between positive results and finding of age, gender, and family history. Materials and Methods: Study group of (40) saliva samples were taken from 40 patients with RAS lesions included 15 male and 25 female, with mean age at (34) years, at range about (18-55) years , and healthy control group were (20) healthy volunteers were suffered from oral traumatic ulcers, consist women (13), men (7), mean age (33) years in range (18-55). for detection of HSV viruses types that may causes this disease, and healthy control group were (20) healthy volunteers were suffered from oral traumatic ulcers, ELISA method used for diagnosis HSV-1 and HSV-2, from saliva samples of the patients with (RAS) with correlation between positive results and finding of age, gender, and family history. Results: Diagnostic specimens were consisted of two groups, study group of (40) saliva samples taken from 40 patients with RAS lesions. The results of ELISA to detect HSV had high significant (17): 42.5% from (40) patients with (RAS), HSV-1: (13)32.5%, and HSV-2: (4)10%. Conclusion: This high number of RAS cases by HSV, and presence of HSV-2 in patients saliva in this study acted important cause of prevalence of this disease in Iraq, were in age group (18-25) mostly in female especially in those with family history of infection. Keywords: Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), Aphthous ulcer, HSV-1&2 viruses, ELISA method