Genital herpes is made up to two infections of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) strain. They are HSV-1 and HSV-2, both of which for part of a wider group that includes chicken pox and shingles. That group is called Herpesviridae.
HSV-1 is predominantly passed on orally, and results in cold sores.
HSV-2 is passed on by unprotected sexual contact and affects the genitals.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 16.2 percent of people 14 to 49 years of age have genital HSV-2 infection. That’s one in six people nationwide carrying this STD. Part of the problem is that in many cases, the infection is asymptomatic.
As already mentioned, many cases of HDV-2 are asymptomatic, which is why the infection is so prevalent. People simply don’t know they have it.
Those who do display symptoms often see any of the following:
- Itching in the genital or anal region
- Small fluid-filled blisters that burst leaving painful sores
- Pain when passing urine over the open sores
- Persistent headaches
- Persistent backache
- Flu-like symptoms
As you can see, with the exception of visible blisters and sores, the symptoms of HSV-2 are shared with many other conditions, including other STDs.
Transmission and Treatment
Genital herpes, HSV-2 is transmitted through unprotected sex. Skin contact with an infected person is usually enough to pass it on, which is another reason why it’s so prevalent. HSV-1 can be transmitted through oral sex or kissing.
If symptoms appear, it’s important to seek medical help and refrain from physical contact with other people until it has been checked. There are simple tests that are quick and painless.
They include:
- A clinical examination of the genital area.
- A sample from any visible sores.
- Women may be given an internal pelvic examination
- A sample of urine
- Blood test
A blood test is only usually taken is there are no symptoms. It is only effective once the individual has had the infection for 3 months. As with the HIV virus, the herpes test works by searching for antibodies that the immune system produces to fight the virus. It can take the body up to 3 months to produce those antibodies.
There is no cure for herpes. An outbreak of either kind will generally clear up by itself, but doctors may prescribe a course of antiviral drugs to reduce any outbreak. These drugs prevent the bacteria from multiplying, giving the immune system a chance to fight it.
Complications
Recurrences of genital herpes vary from person to person. Some will never experience an outbreak of this STD again, whilst others may have milder recurrences at various intervals. Because these recurrent infections are milder, they often do not require treatment.
Once the initial outbreak is over, the virus hides away in the nerve fibers near the infection site. Here it remains dormant, until triggered by something. If this happens, it travels back down the nerve to the skin surface and causes another outbreak.
It is possible to transmit herpes in-between outbreaks, so care should be taken to protect both people in the situation. During an outbreak, the sufferer is very infectious and should restrict their activities accordingly.
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