GENITAL HERPES

Genital Herpes

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It causes herpes sores in the genital area and is transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, especially from unprotected sex when infected skin touches the vaginal, oral, or anal area. Occasionally, it can cause sores in the mouth, and can be spread by secretions in saliva. Because the virus does not live outside the body for long, you cannot catch genital herpes from an object, such as a toilet seat. Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex (HSV). There are two different types of herpes virus that cause genital herpes — HSV-1 and HSV-2. Most forms of genital herpes are HSV-2. But a person with HSV-1 (the type of virus that causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth) can transmit the virus through oral sex to another person's genitals(Fleming et al 1997).

Prevalence

Although at least 45 million aged 12 and older in the United States have genital herpes infection, there has been a substantial decrease in cases from 21 percent to 17 percent, according to a CDC survey. Much of the decrease was in the 14 to 19 year age group, and continued through the young adult group(Eng Butler 1997).

Causes

Genital herpes is a common sexually transmissible disease (STD). It is caused by infection with one of two kinds of microscopic organisms called herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). These viruses also cause cold sores on the mouth. Herpes causes particular problems for pregnant women, since babies can be infected during their passage through the birth canal if HSV is present. This rare occurrence can usually be prevented with careful management(Hsiung Mayo Lucia Landry 1984).

Diagnosis

HSV infection sometimes causes no symptoms at all; the body's immune system keeps the virus under control. Usually, infection causes an outbreak of sores in the genital or anal area. Sores may appear in the following places(Mayo Hsiung 1984):

In women, on the vulva or the walls of the vagina, and occasionally in the cervix or around the anus.

In men, usually on the head or the shaft of the penis, but also around the anus.

Symptoms

Someone who has been exposed to the genital herpes virus may not be aware of the infection and may never have an outbreak of sores. However, if a person does have an outbreak, the symptoms can cause significant discomfort.

Someone with genital herpes may first notice itching or pain, followed by sores that appear a few hours to a few days later. The sores, which may appear on the vagina, penis, scrotum, buttocks, or anus, start out as red bumps that soon turn into red, watery blisters. The sores may make it very painful to urinate. The sores may open up, ooze fluid or bleed, and then heal within the next 2 to 4 weeks(Hsiung Mayo Lucia Landry 1984).

The entire genital area may feel very tender or painful, and the person may have flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, and swollen lymph ...