Absence of viremia in primary herpetic gingivostomatitis

Using current techniques of viral isolation, whole blood, plasma and buffy coat from 17 children with herpetic gingivostomatitis were cultured. Recovery of herpes simplex virus was inhibited by anticoagulation of blood with heparin and unaffected by anticoagulation with citrate. Herpes virus was not detected in any blood fraction during primary herpes gingivostomatitis.