Genital herpes

Overview of genital herpes

Genital herpes is a contagious strain of the HPV virus that effects the genital regions of men and women and is transmitted through sexual contact.  Genital herpes is a strain of the herpes simplex virus (HSV), from the viral family herpesveridae. This highly contagious disease is transmitted through sexual contact such as vaginal, anal or oral sex. If you have small breaks in your skin or mucous membrane when having sexual contact with an infected partner, you are susceptible to contracting the herpes simplex virus.  The symptoms of genital herpes include pain and discomfort of the infected area, as well as itching and sores. Once infected with the herpes simplex virus, the virus stays in the carrier’s body for life.  The visual signs of genital herpes may come and go. When they are visible, it is commonly referred to as a herpes outbreak, and when there are no visible signs of the disease, it is known as silent.  It is almost impossible to become infected with HSV through contact with toilets, towels or other objects that may have come in contact with an infected party. This is because the virus dies quickly outside of the body.
 

Genital herpes statistics

Based on reported cases, the herpes simplex virus currently infects 1 of every 5 sexually active Americans, making it one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the country. In the last three decades, the increase in reported cases of HSV has risen 30%, and affects both men and women.  Despite the drastic increase in reported cases in recent years, less than 10% of those who test positive for genital herpes suspect that they might have it. This is because more than 80% of those tested had no outbreak, leaving the infected person clueless to their condition.  It is projected that at least 22% of adults in this country have the herpes simplex virus that is primarily responsible for genital herpes.
 

Types of genital herpes

There are two types of herpes simplex virus:
• HSV-1: This strain of the herpes simplex virus is familiar to most. Technically called oral herpes lesions, this strain of herpes outbreak is commonly known as cold sores or fever blisters. HSV-1 is generally not the infecting virus for genital herpes, although the number of cases of genital herpes containing this strain is on the rise. HSV-1 can be spread by having oral sex with a partner who has a herpes sore on their mouth or lips. HSV-1 is less likely to cause repeated outbreaks than HSV-2.
• HSV-2: This strain of the herpes simplex virus is less familiar but is the main cause of genital herpes. This strain is spread through vaginal or anal sex with an infected partner.
 

Cure for genital herpes

Currently, there is no cure for either strain of the herpes virus, although genital herpes treatment is available to deal with the physical signs of the disease. These treatments, called antivirals, focus on increasing the speed with which outbreaks are eliminated, as well as working toward eliminating outbreaks from reoccurring (although there is no guarantee that reoccurrence can be eliminated). Topical solutions are also available to help treat the visible outbreaks of genital herpes.  You should also be aware of other medical complications of herpes.