Comparative analysis of salivary zinc level in recurrent herpes labialis

Recurrent Herpes Labialis (RHL) is one of most common infective vesiculoulcerative esions. according to some studies administration of topical and/or systemic zinc compositions has een effective in treatment and prevention. This article aims to comparison of zinc level in healthy ubjects and RHL patients in acute and convalescent phases. This was a retrospective case – control study, carried on 80 individuals 40 normal and 40 RHL patients) mean age=34.5 and 34.4, respectively. Saliva samples were taken n patients in acute phase once and after healing of lesions in convalescent phase (averagely 21 days ater) and in normal individuals. Salivary zinc level concentration was measured by flame atomic bsorption spectrophotometer by dry digestion method. The results were statistically analyzed with SPSS software by t-test (α=0.05). Results showed that salivary zinc level in case group in acute and convalescent phases ere 160.8 ngr/ml and 205.7 ngr/ml respectivly and significant differences between them were existed P<0.05). Also significant differences were existed between zinc concentration in healthy subjects nd patient groups (in both phases) (P=.001 and. 002 for acute and convalescent phases respectively). According to the results, zinc level is significantly lower in acute phase than in onvalescent phase and significantly lower in both phases compared to healthy individuals,so etermination of serum zinc level and prescribing zinc complement in low serum status has both reatmental and preventive effects in RHL patients.