Genital Herpes
July 21, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
- What is genital herpes?
- How common is genital herpes?
- How do people get genital herpes?
- What are the signs and symptoms of genital herpes?
- What are the complications of genital herpes?
- How is genital herpes diagnosed?
- Is there a treatment for herpes?
- How can herpes be prevented?
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years.
Results of a nationally representative study show that genital herpes infection is common in the United States. Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five adolescents and adults, have had genital HSV infection. Over the past decade, the percent of Americans with genital herpes infection in the U.S. has decreased.
Genital HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of eight). This may be due to male-to-female transmission being more likely than female-to-male transmission.
How do people get genital herpes?
HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be found in and released from the sores that the viruses cause, but they also are released between outbreaks from skin that does not appear to have a sore. Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. Transmission can occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected.
HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips, so-called “fever blisters.” HSV-1 infection of the genitals can be caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection. Genital HSV-1 outbreaks recur less regularly than genital HSV-2 outbreaks.
What are the signs and symptoms of genital herpes?
Most people infected with HSV-2 are not aware of their infection. However, if signs and symptoms occur during the first outbreak, they can be quite pronounced. The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks after the virus is transmitted, and the sores typically heal within two to four weeks. Other signs and symptoms during the primary episode may include a second crop of sores, and flu-like symptoms, including fever and swollen glands. However, most individuals with HSV-2 infection never have sores, or they have very mild signs that they do not even notice or that they mistake for insect bites or another skin condition.
People diagnosed with a first episode of genital herpes can expect to have several (typically four or five) outbreaks (symptomatic recurrences) within a year. Over time these recurrences usually decrease in frequency. It is possible that a person becomes aware of the “first episode” years after the infection is acquired.
What are the complications of genital herpes?
Genital herpes can cause recurrent painful genital sores in many adults, and herpes infection can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems. Regardless of severity of symptoms, genital herpes frequently causes psychological distress in people who know they are infected. To soothe those symptoms Herpeset has been very helpful
In addition, genital HSV can lead to potentially fatal infections in babies. It is important that women avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy because a newly acquired infection during late pregnancy poses a greater risk of transmission to the baby. If a woman has active genital herpes at delivery, a cesarean delivery is usually performed. Fortunately, infection of a baby from a woman with herpes infection is rare.
Herpes may play a role in the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV infection, and it can make HIV-infected individuals more infectious.
How is genital herpes diagnosed?
The signs and symptoms associated with HSV-2 can vary greatly. Health care providers can diagnose genital herpes by visual inspection if the outbreak is typical, and by taking a sample from the sore(s) and testing it in a laboratory. HSV infections can be diagnosed between outbreaks by the use of a blood test. Blood tests, which detect antibodies to HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection, can be helpful, although the results are not always clear-cut.
Is there a treatment for herpes?
There is no treatment that can cure herpes, but antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for symptomatic herpes can reduce transmission to partners.
The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including genital herpes, is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Genital ulcer diseases can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom, as well as in areas that are not covered. Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of genital herpes.
Persons with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with uninfected partners when lesions or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms he or she can still infect sex partners. Sex partners of infected persons should be advised that they may become infected and they should use condoms to reduce the risk. Sex partners can seek testing to determine if they are infected with HSV. A positive HSV-2 blood test most likely indicates a genital herpes infection.
Best Protection Against Genital Herpes
July 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
The best protection against Genital Herpes
- Take anitviral
- Practice safe sex
- No sex during outbreaks
- Tell your partner
Genital Herpes
July 20, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise across the UK, with a particularly "worrying" picture among young people, health experts said today.
There was a two per cent rise in the number of new cases of all STIs diagnosed at clinics between 2005 and 2006, figures showed.
Genital herpes was a cause for concern, with a nine per cent increase between 2005 and 2006, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Among teenage girls aged between 16 and 19, the rise was 16 per cent for genital herpes, which cannot be cured but is treatable.
Genital warts in this female age group increased five per cent, but gonorrhoea fell three per cent and chlamydia fell one per cent.
Between 1997 and 2006, STIs showed a huge rise, with syphilis rising by 1,607 per cent, gonorrhoea by 46 per cent, chlamydia by 166 per cent and herpes by 36 per cent.
Between 2005 and 2006, the total number of new cases of STIs diagnosed at UK GUM clinics went up from 368,341 to 376,508.
Chlamydia increased by four per cent and genital warts by three per cent.
Lisa Power, head of policy at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "We have to reverse this trend. Quality sex and relationships education - not just biology lessons - has been shown to decrease risky behaviour in teens.
"We also need to stop the decline in health promotion work for gay men at a local level. "There are also startling rises in the levels of genital herpes, particularly amongst young women.
"We need to get the message across that this is a lifelong and unpleasant condition which will require ongoing treatment, and not something to be taken lightly."
Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of the STI section at the HPA, said higher STI rates were found in young people because they were more sexually active.
Multiple partners, changing partners and failing to wear condoms all contributed to higher rates in this group, she said.
The HPA said it was particularly concerned about young people and gay men.
Figure showed increasing levels of unsafe sexual behaviour among gay men, putting them at a heightened risk of contracting HIV among other diseases.
Professor Pat Troop, chief executive of the HPA, said long-term trends for some diseases showed that some rates of infection were slowing down.
"There are some encouraging trends but they are very early," she said. "There’s absolutely no room for complacency."
Source: Metro UK
