Herpes Simplex Virus is the fifth monograph to be published in the Bloomsbury Series of Clinical Science. It provides an authoritative review of the key issues related to this common clinical problem. The characteristics of the virus, its epidemiology and the diag­ nosis and management of the various forms of infection are all considered. Adrian Mindel is an international authority on this subject; he joined the Academic Department of Genito-urinary Medicine at the Middlesex Hospital in 1980 and has been actively involved in HSV research since that time. His major research interests include the epidemiology and treatment of genital herpes, the epidemi­ ology of neo-natal herpes and the many and varied features of HSV infections in immuno-compromised patients. The continuing aim of the Bloomsbury Series is to identify the growing areas of clinical research and relate these to current and future medical practice. In Herpes Simplex Virus such aspirations have been successfully achieved. London, May 1989 Jack Tinker Preface There has been considerable interest in herpes simplex viruses (HSV) over recent years. Amongst the many reasons for this are the introduction of safe and efficacious therapy, the recognition that HSV may cause life-threatening infections in neonates and immunocompromised patients, the observation that genital herpes is one of the commonest viral sexually transmitted diseases and the possible association of HSV with cervical cancer.