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Sore throat - acute - Making a diagnosis
Acute herpetic pharyngitis
- Primary infection with herpes simplex virus may present as acute sore throat [Bisno, 2005]:
- Pain varies from mild to severe.
- Vesicles and shallow ulcers on the palate are not always present, but are characteristic of herpes simplex infection.
- There may be cervical lymphadenopathy, fever, and exudate.
- If there is an associated gingivostomatitis, vesicles and ulcers are also present on the labial and buccal mucosa.
- For more information, see the CKS topic on Herpes simplex - oral.
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