Which symptoms are associated with HSV-1 prior to the lesions appearing?

The symptoms associated with HSV-1 prior to the appearance of lesions are typically fever and lymphadenopathy. When a person is initially infected with the herpes simplex virus type 1, they often experience a prodrome phase, during which systemic symptoms like fever and swollen lymph nodes emerge. This phase can indicate the body's immune response to the virus as it starts to replicate.

Fever is a common indicator of many viral infections, including initial HSV infections. Alongside fever, lymphadenopathy reflects the immune system’s response, where the lymph nodes become enlarged as they work to fight off the infection. Other symptoms that might occur prior to lesions could include malaise or general discomfort, although fever and lymphadenopathy are the most notable and characteristic of this initial presentation.

In contrast, options that suggest joint pain, rash, headache, nausea, fatigue, or vomiting do not specifically align with the classic early symptoms of an HSV-1 infection. These symptoms might be encountered in various other conditions or infections but are not primary indicators that precede the lesions associated with HSV-1.