HSV

Key points:

• Both types of HSV are lifelong infections.
• A person infected with HSV type 2 has a higher chance of getting and transmitting HIV infection.
• Usually, genital and oral herpes are asymptomatic.
• It is estimated that about 3.7 billion people below 50 years of age are infected by HSV-1 and about 417 million people between ages 15 and 49 are infected by HSV-2 across the globe.
• Africa showed the highest occurrence of HSV-1 (about 87%).
• More females carry HSV-2 infection than males. The reason: HSV-2 is more efficiently transmitted from males to females than from females to males.

HSV-1

People already suffering from oral herpes can also get the infection in their genital area. The herpes infection can be passed from mother to unborn child before birth but is more commonly passed on to the infant during delivery.

Symptoms

Oral herpes is asymptomatic; meaning infected people are often unaware of their infection. When symptoms do occur herpes shows up as open sores or painful blisters around or inside the mouth. This is usually referred to as an outbreak.

People infected with this virus usually feel a burning or tingling sensation, or itching around the mouth before sores appear. Sores on the lips are called cold sores. Once an outbreak first appears, they can reappear periodically. The frequency of the recurrence differs from individual to individual.

HSV-1 also causes genital herpes, which is also asymptomatic. Some people may get mild symptoms, which often go unnoticed. Genital herpes caused by type 1 virus does not recur usually.

Complications

• People with advanced stage of HIV infection can experience more severe and frequent recurrences of HSV-1.
• In rare cases, HSV-1 leads to complications like encephalitis or keratitis, which is an eye infection.
• Oral herpes usually cause social stigma. However, it is found that people with oral and genital herpes seem to “adjust” to living with the HSV-1 infection.

Neonatal herpes

According to research, the risk of neonatal herpes is the highest when the mother is infected with HSV for the first time during her last trimester. If a pregnant woman gets genital herpes before she becomes pregnant, the chances of HSV getting transmitted to her infant are extremely low.

Treatment

STD Express Clinic offers top-quality treatment for HSV 1, including antiviral medications to help reduce the duration and severity of an outbreak.

Prevention

• Patients with genital herpes must avoid unprotected sex.
• Medical male circumcision is found to offer males partial protection from HSV-2, HPV, and HIV.
• The use of condoms is recommended during sex, though they offer only partial protection as the virus is also found in areas surrounding the penis.
• Pregnant women infected with HSV-2 must inform their doctor. They must take measures to prevent acquiring a new infection during the late trimester, as this is when neonatal herpes risk is the highest.

HSV-2

How does it enter the body?

Herpes Simplex Virus-2 is a globally widespread disease. It is almost always transmitted through sexual contact. The virus causes genital herpes, and stays in the body throughout life.

Symptoms

Genital herpes shows no symptoms or may show mild signs that are often overlooked. When symptoms do appear, they surface as one or multiple open sores or blisters in the genital or anal area. They are also called genital ulcers. Other symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, body ache, and fever.

Once the virus infects a person, recurrent symptoms are seen, but they are less severe than the earlier times. The frequency of outbreaks is found to decrease over time. Infected people often get shooting pains in hips and legs or a mild, tingling sensation before the outbreak.

Complications

• People infected with HSV-2 have a higher chance of getting a new HIV infection.
• People infected with both HSV-2 and HIV are likelier to transmit HIV to others.
• About 60-90 per cent of HIV-positive people are found to carry HSV-2 infection.
• HIV-positive people infected with HSV-2 show more severe and more frequent outbreaks.
• In people with advanced stage of HIV infection, HSV-2 may cause serious complications like hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, retinal necrosis, esophagitis, pneumonitis, or disseminated infection; but these are rare.

Treatment

Doctors prescribe antiviral drugs like:

• Valacyclovir
• Famciclovir
• Acyclovir

They are found to decrease the frequency and severity of symptoms. They do not cure the disease, though.

Medications can be administered orally (as pills), as topical formulations (cream), or via injections. The last is done usually in cases of severe outbreak.

Prevention

• Patients with genital herpes must avoid sex.
• Medical male circumcision is found to offer males lifelong, but partial, protection from HSV-2, plus from HPV and HIV.
• The use of condoms is good during sex, though they offer only partial protection, as the virus is also found in areas surrounding the penis.
• Pregnant women infected with HSV-2 must inform their doctor. They must take measures to prevent acquiring a new infection during the late trimester, as this is when neonatal herpes risk is the highest.