Viral shedding occurs for an average of 12 days (see Fig. 2), but shedding can occur during a primary infection for 3 weeks.22More than two thirds of patients with primary HSV infection have systemic symptoms including malaise, headache, low-grade fever, myalgia, and abdominal pain.22 Systemic symptoms usually reach a peak within the first 4 days of the onset of lesions (see Fig. 2).