Viral Infections

Viral skin diseases encompass a wide range of diseases from superficial exanthems to complex systemic diseases. Although many of the eruptions are benign and self-limiting in nature, they often cause discomfort to patients. Viral skin infections are a common presentation in primary care, frequently seen in children and adolescents, rarely in healthy adults. Most primary viral infections result from three groups of viruses: herpesviruses, poxviruses, and human papillomavirus. The diagnosis is primarily based on the clinical presentation; however, severe cases can be confirmed by serology or nucleic acid testing and rarely by viral culture. Advances in molecular biology have enabled the development of new antiviral drugs and new vaccines to treat viral infections.