A 25-year-old male presents with painful sores in his mouth that have been recurring every few months for the past year. He also has a history of genital herpes. What could be the cause of his oral symptoms, and how should they be managed?
This patient likely has recurrent oral herpes, possibly due to HSV-1 or HSV-2. Antiviral therapy with drugs such as acyclovir or valacyclovir can be used to treat acute outbreaks. For frequent recurrences, daily suppressive therapy may be considered to reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks.