Genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) isolation during pregnancy.

Eight patients with laboratory-confirmed herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection were cultured repeatedly during their pregnancies. Two of the 8 patients did not have typical HSV lesions. All patients became culture negative and all delivered normal infants vaginally. Because asymptomatic women can transmit HSV to neonates at parturition, it is important to do viral cultures as well as to clinically assess the mother.