Genital Herpes

What is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is an infection with genital herpes simplex virus (HSV).

There are two types of viruses:

• HSV-1
• HSV-2

The infection results in blisters and sores on the genitals.

How common is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is very common, and the incidence is increasing. Thus, approximately 1/3 of all 30-year-old infected with HSV-2, and more than 4/5 with HSV-1.

HSV-2 is the cause of three of the five cases of genital herpes. HSV-1, which is usually on the lips, are similarly cause 2 of 5 with genital herpes.

HSV-2 is transmitted almost exclusively sexually, while HSV-1 is transmitted sexually or non-sexually.

Only about 20% of HSV-2 infected know they have had genital herpes, further about 20% had symptoms of the genitals, but received no specific diagnosis, while 60% had no symptoms of previous genital herpes.

What causes genital herpes?

Genital herpes is transmitted by sexual contact. Oral sex puts you at risk of infection from the mouth to the genitals and vice versa.

Virus travels along nerve pathways and goes back into the resting phase into the so-called nerve ganglia. When the virus is in the resting phase, you have no symptoms. The virus, however, can wake up from sleep and cause repetitive outbreaks in the same area as in the next outbreak.

The subsequent outbreak is mentioned often milder than the first outbreak.

Infection danger is greatest when you have an outbreak, but infection without outbreaks occur frequently, especially in HSV-second

It is therefore possible to transmit the infection without being infected are aware of this.

What are the symptoms of genital herpes?

The first outbreak (primary infection) usually comes a few days to weeks after infection. The vulva is reddish, swollen and sore, and you get painful blisters. The blisters will quickly burst and lead to the formation of small wounds. The eruption often causes flu-like symptoms with general malaise, headache, fever and muscle pain. Urination can be very painful. Untreated instantaneously symptoms at rest for 2-4 weeks.

Many, but not all, will have new herpes outbreaks. The new outbreak is milder than primary infection, with fewer blisters and sores. Before an outbreak, there are often some early warning symptoms, with burning and tingling in the area where a few days after coming blisters.

Following an outbreak can get radiation of pain to adjacent skin areas. The pain usually goes over the back, but can in rare cases be more chronic.

What symptoms should pay particular attention to?

Small blisters and sores, often several at once, on the genitals.

How is it diagnosed?

The doctor will make the diagnosis based on the typical symptoms of painful blisters and sores.

Often the doctor at one of the first outbreak, take a sample with swab from the blisters or ulcers and send to the laboratory to detect herpes virus.

What treatment is there?

There is no medicine that cures the disease, but there are medications that inhibit virus eg aciclovir and valaciclovir, which reduces the risk of transferring infection. The medicine is primarily useful for the more powerful primary outbreak, but also used to good effect in patients who subsequently have frequent outbreaks.

If you have frequent outbreaks, it may be relevant to medicine preventative every day over a long time, possibly for years.

At the first onset, the treatment effect if one can begin to take the medicine within five days after symptoms occurred. As a rule, you must be receiving medical treatment in 5-10 days.

If the treatment to be given at the recent outbreak, treatment should start early – preferably within 24 hours to be effective. A few have very frequent outbreaks of genital herpes. The disease is then a significant nuisance and makes it difficult to maintain a normal sexual life. In the cases can be treated with the same type of preventive medicine for shorter or longer time, e.g., 500 mg daily valaciclovir or aciclovir 400 mg x 2 daily.

What about the risk of infection?

Medical treatment does not replace other measures to prevent the spread of infection. You should use condoms and practice safe sex, and you should inform your partner that you have a contagious infection.

Through medical treatment and condom use reduced the risk of infecting others. Specifically, avoid sex during outbreaks. One can as indicated infection without symptoms. Your partner to be measured antibodies to herpes simplex type 1 and 2 to determine whether he / she is already infected

How is long-term prospects?

It takes less than a week from being infected until you develop symptoms, and without treatment it may take up to 2-4 weeks before the first outbreak has resolved. Over 50% will be new outbreaks, but these are mentioned less troublesome and products in less time – about 1-2 weeks.

The disease burns usually out and decreases in intensity over several years. Some only experience an outbreak, while the disease in others can stay active for many years.

There is nothing to suggest that the disease is dangerous in the long term. There is no excess incidence of cancer or infertility in patients who have herpes.

If a pregnant woman becomes infected in the last three months of pregnancy, there is a high risk of passing the infection to the baby during birth. This can cause severe illness in the newborn.

Women who have had genital herpes before becoming pregnant can transfer their antibodies to the fetus, so they are partially protected during delivery. Always mention of his own doctor and midwife that you have had herpes.

How do I avoid or worsen genital herpes?

Stress and other infections such as colds can trigger new outbreaks of genital herpes.

The condom protects against genital herpes, but you can become infected if the condom does not cover the outbreak / where herpes year.