Herpes Simplex Virus Infections DURING the past decade, genital herpes simplex virus infections have attracted increasing attention because of their prevalence, the alarm associated with a chronically recurring disease, the risk of transmission to sexual partners, and concern about the transmission of virus from a pregnant woman to her offspring.676869 Maternal Infection There is a striking paucity of data on the epidemiology and management of genital herpes simplex virus infections during pregnancy. Two patterns of maternal infection can have fetal consequences, however: disseminated infection and localized recurrent or primary genital maternal infection. Disseminated Infection Herpes simplex virus infections of pregnant. © 1985, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.