Epidemiological Trends of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV‐1 and HSV‐2) Infections: A Six‐Year Analysis From a Dermatology Hospital in Southern China (2019–2024)

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections impose a substantial global health burden, yet regional, subtype-specific epidemiology in dermatology settings remains underexplored. We analyzed laboratory-confirmed HSV tests (PCR, viral culture and IgG ELISA) performed at the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University from 2019 to 2024 to characterize subtype distribution, demographics, anatomical sites, temporal trends and diagnostic performance. Overall, HSV was detected in 32.84% of patients, with HSV-2 significantly more prevalent than HSV-1 (22.83% vs 10.02%, p < 0.0001). Over time, HSV-1 increased (23.55% to 34.65%, p = 0.0060) while HSV-2 declined. HSV-1 was more common in females than males (14.26% vs 7.57%, p < 0.0001) and in children (highest in ages 0-9 years: 24.71%), whereas HSV-2 peaked in adults (ages 40-49 years: 29.3%). Anatomically, HSV-1 infections were predominantly oral/cephalic, while HSV-2 occurred mainly in anogenital sites (89.94%). Viral culture showed high specificity (99.83%) but lower sensitivity (64.52%) relative to PCR, supporting PCR as the preferred diagnostic method. Latent infections (47.44%) confirmed HSV's lifelong persistence. These findings indicate current dominance of HSV-2 alongside a rising burden of HSV-1, with distinct demographic and anatomical patterns, and underscore the need for multicenter data to refine regional epidemiology and inform targeted prevention strategies.