Herpes is a disease of an infectious nature, which is transmitted mainly through sexual contact. This disease is characterized by itching, pain, redness in the genital area and ulcers. The risk of infection is sexual.
The main symptoms of genital herpes
People infected with herpes can be unaware of their disease, because for many years the infection can live in the body in a "sleeping" state, without showing any signs. Genital herpes can be combined with other localizations of the infection, for example, with damage to the skin of the face and trunk.
The main symptoms of herpes can be:
- headache;
- pain in the inguinal region;
- pain in the buttocks and legs;
- pain during urination;
- papular rash on the body, sores;
- fever - subfebrile condition.
Factors contributing to exacerbation of the virus in the body:
- menstruation;
- stresses;
- chronic diseases;
- seasonal vitamin deficiency;
- surgical interventions;
- weakened immunity.
Genital herpes: causes
The causative agents of infection are the viruses of HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is characterized by the appearance of a herpetic rash in the mouth.
HSV-2 is usually caused by HSV-1. If there are open wounds on the surface of the skin, the virus can spread through damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
HSV-2 is quite common. According to studies, 54 million people in Russia aged 12 and over are carriers of HSV-2 and, as a rule, the infection in the body is latent.
What to do with genital herpes
If you suspect you are carrying the infection, see a doctor immediately. In most cases, people infected with genital herpes are also diagnosed with other diseases that spread through sexual contact. The doctor will conduct a full examination for the presence of urogenital infections and prescribe a course of treatment. If you have doubts and do not know whether the infection was exacerbating or not, a blood test for HPV-1 and HPV-2 DNA will allow you to get a reliable result. However, if you have an HPV-1 infection, a blood test will not determine whether the infection is oral or genital. Genital herpes is diagnosed on the basis of patient complaints in the presence of vesicles (vesicles) and sores. As soon as a person’s immunity decreases, genital herpes begins to manifest itself with prolonged exacerbations.
Genital herpes in women
If the aggravation occurred during the period of childbirth, the baby may become infected during movement through the birth canal of the mother. Infection with herpes of newborns can cause a number of serious pathologies - blindness, brain injury, in extreme cases, can lead to death. The infection is widespread among infants whose mothers suffered an exacerbation during pregnancy and childbirth.
Treatment of genital herpes in men and women is reduced to the prevention of the disease and to the use of drugs that block the spread of infection. Means for the complete cure of genital herpes today in medicine does not exist. However, there are drugs that can reduce the risk of infection. If the treatment is prescribed in a timely manner and is carried out daily, infection of the sexual partner can be avoided.
Prevention of genital herpes is similar to the prevention of STDs. Extreme precautions should be observed during an exacerbation of the disease. Prevention comes down to abstinence from promiscuous sexual intercourse. Also, as a precaution, it is necessary to minimize the number of sexual partners and use a condom during each sexual intercourse.
If you are pregnant, make sure that you do not have HPV and take the necessary tests to diagnose the disease. If an infection is detected from the 36th week of pregnancy, the doctor prescribes drugs to avoid exacerbations of HPV during labor. If the aggravation occurs during the birth, most likely, the doctor will prescribe a cesarean section to prevent infection of the fetus with the herpes virus.
Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene with genital herpes
If your infection worsens:
- refrain from sex;
- follow the rules of hygiene of affected skin;
- do not forget that the virus can be activated even in the absence of any signs;
- Before you resume sexual relations with your partner, make sure that relapses are eliminated;
- Use latex condoms to reduce the chance of your partner becoming infected.