[The clinical and pathogenetic characteristics of acute herpetic stomatitis in children belonging to a group at risk for the conversion of the disease into a chronic form].

Two groups of children suffering from acute herpetic stomatitis were under study. 214 patients were referred to a group at risk of developing a chronic form of the condition on the basis of mathematical prediction. The immunofluorescent antibody technique was used to detect herpes simplex virus antigen in the peripheral blood leukocytes of healthy children and patients. The studies have shown inadequate humoral and local immunologic defense in the children referred to the risk group; herpes simplex antigen was more often detectable in their blood leukocytes than in the reference group.