Herpes

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What kind of complications is associated with Herpes?

Women can give herpes to their babies during births. You can continue to spread the disease without knowing what to look for. It is most often passed just before or during the time you can see sores, but herpes can be passed even when there are no sores.

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.

In addition, genital HSV can cause potentially fatal infections in babies. It is important that women avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy because a first episode during pregnancy causes 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 Herpes diagnosed?

HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be cultured from a lesion, but this test is inaccurate up to 70% of the time. Instead, blood tests are more often used when a person has no visible symptoms but has concerns about having herpes. Blood tests do not actually detect the virus; instead, they look for antibodies (the body’s immune response) in the blood. These tests cannot determine whether the site of infection is oral or genital. However, since most cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV-2, a positive result for type-2 antibodies most likely indicates genital herpes. For the most accurate result, it is recommended to wait at least 12 - 16 weeks from exposure in order to allow enough time for antibodies to develop.

How is Herpes treated?

Go to a clinic or doctor right away to get checked. Herpes can’t be cured. But there are medicines which can control the disease and make sores heal faster. Tell your sex partner(s) that they may have herpes and need to get checked. If you get pregnant, tell your doctor you have herpes. Herpes is most often passed just before or during the time you can see sores. But herpes can be passed even when there are no sores. If you have sores, don’t touch them. Don’t have sex until they are fully healed.

How is Herpes prevented?

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 only when the infected area or site of potential exposure is protected. Since a condom may not cover all infected areas, even correct and consistent use of latex condoms cannot guarantee protection from 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. 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.