A nurse is caring for a client who has recurrent herpes simplex type 1 lesions. The nurse should perform a focused assessment of which of the following areas of the client's body?

A. While HSV-1 can rarely infect the extremities (herpetic whitlow), this is uncommon and usually associated with direct contact with infected secretions. Routine assessment of extremities is not the primary focus for recurrent HSV-1 lesions. B. The scalp is not a typical site for recurrent HSV-1 lesions. Scalp involvement is rare and may occur only with direct inoculation. C. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) primarily causes oral infections, including cold sores or fever blisters on or around the lips, mouth, and sometimes the gums or tongue. Recurrent HSV-1 lesions are often triggered by stress, illness, or immunosuppression. A focused assessment should target the perioral and oral mucosa to monitor for active lesions, pain, or complications. D. The genital area is primarily affected by HSV-2, which causes genital herpes. Although HSV-1 can cause genital infections through oral-genital contact, recurrent lesions in this area are much less common than oral recurrences.