Herpes
Simplex Virus 1
If
you want to know the technical stuff about Herpes Simplex
virus 1 then read on. However, if you think you might
have it, and you want to get the best treatment, simply click Herpes
Simplex virus 1 treatment.
What
is genital herpes?
Genital herpes is an infection caused by the Herpes Simplex
virus 1 or HSV.
- There
are two types of Herpes Simplex, and both can cause
genital herpes.
- Herpes
Simplex virus 1 most commonly infects the lips, causing sores
known as fever blisters or cold sores, but it also can infect the
genital area and produce sores.
- HSV
type 2 is the usual cause of genital herpes, but it also can infect
the mouth. A person who has genital herpes infection can easily pass
or transmit the virus to an uninfected person during sex.
Both Herpes Simplex virus 1 and 2 can produce sores
(also called lesions) in and around the vaginal area, on the penis,
around the anal opening, and on the buttocks or thighs. Occasionally,
sores also appear on other parts of the body where the virus has entered
through broken skin.
Herpes
Simplex virus 1 remains
in certain nerve cells of the body for life, and can produce symptoms
off and on in some infected people.
- Can
outbreaks recur?
If you have been infected by Herpes
Simplex virus 1
and/or 2, you will probably have symptoms or outbreaks from time to
time. After the virus has finished being active, it then travels to
the nerves at the end of the spine where it stays for a while. Even
after the lesions are gone, the virus stays inside the nerve cells
in a still and hidden state, which means that it's inactive.
- In most
people, the virus can become active several times a year. This is
called a recurrence. But scientists do not yet know why this happens.
When it becomes active again, it travels along the nerves to the skin,
where it makes more viruses near the site of the very first infection.
That is where new sores usually will appear.
Sometimes,
the Herpes
Simplex virus 1 virus
can become active but not cause any sores that can be seen. At these
times, small amounts of the virus may be shed at or near places of the
first infection, in fluids from the mouth, penis, or vagina, or from
barely noticeable sores. You may not notice this shedding because it
often does not cause any pain or feel uncomfortable. Even though you
might not be aware of the shedding, you still can infect a sex partner
during this time.
- After
the first outbreak, any future outbreaks are usually mild and last
only about a week.
- An infected
person may know that an outbreak is about to happen by a tingling
feeling or itching in the genital area, or pain in the buttocks or
down the leg.
- For
some people, these early symptoms can be the most painful and annoying
part of an episode.
- Sometimes,
only the tingling and itching are present and no visible sores develop.
At other times, blisters appear that may be very small and barely
noticeable, or they may break into open sores that crust over and
then disappear.
The frequency
and severity of recurrent episodes vary greatly. While some people have
only one or two outbreaks in a lifetime, others may have several outbreaks
a year. The number and pattern of repeat outbreaks often change over
time for a person.
Scientists
do not know what causes the Herpes
Simplex virus 1 virus
to become active again. Although some people with Herpes
Simplex virus 1 report
that their outbreaks are brought on by another illness, stress, or having
a menstrual period, outbreaks often are not predictable. In some cases,
outbreaks may be connected to exposure to sunlight.
- How
is genital herpes diagnosed?
Because the genital herpes sores may not be visible to the naked eye,
a doctor or other health care worker may have to do several laboratory
tests to try to prove that symptoms are caused by the herpes virus.
A person may still have genital herpes, however, even if the laboratory
tests do not show the virus in the body.
- A blood
test cannot show whether a person can infect another with the herpes
virus.
- A blood
test, however, can show if a person has been infected at any time
with Herpes
Simplex virus 1
virus.
- There
are also newer blood tests that can tell whether a person has been
infected with Herpes
Simplex virus 1 and/or
2.
How
is genital herpes treated?
You want to get the best treatment, simply click Herpes
Simplex virus 1treatment.
Other treatments
include
Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Famciclovir (Famvir)
Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved Valtrex for use
in preventing transmission of genital herpes. (See section below: How
can I protect myself or my sexual partner?)
During
an active Herpes
Simplex virus 1 episode,
whether the first episode or a repeat one, you should follow a few simple
steps to speed healing and avoid spreading the infection to other places
on the body or to other people.
- Keep
the infected area clean and dry to prevent other infections from developing.
Try to avoid touching the sores.
- Wash
your hands after contact with the sores.
- Avoid
sexual contact from the time you first feel any symptoms until the
sores are completely healed, that is, the scab has fallen off and
new skin has formed where the sore was.
- Can
Herpes
Simplex virus 1 cause
any other problems?
Usually Herpes
Simplex virus 1 infections
do not cause major problems in healthy adults. In some people whose
immune systems do not work properly, genital herpes episodes can last
a long time and be unusually severe. (The body's immune system fights
off foreign invaders such as viruses.)
- If a
woman has her first episode of genita lHerpes
Simplex virus 1
herpes while she is pregnant, she can pass the virus to her unborn
child and may deliver a premature baby.
- Half
of the babies infected with herpes either die or suffer from damage
to their nerves. A baby born with herpes can develop serious problems
that may affect the brain, the skin, or the eyes. If babies born with
herpes are treated immediately with acyclovir, their chances of being
healthy are increased.
If a pregnant
woman has an outbreak, which is not the first episode, her baby's risk
of being infected during delivery is very low. In either case, if you
are pregnant and infected with genital herpes, you should stay in close
touch with your doctor before, during, and after your baby is born.
If a woman
is having an outbreak during labor and delivery and there are herpes
lesions in or near the birth canal, the doctor will do a cesarean section
to protect the baby. Most women with genital herpes, however, do not
have signs of active infection with the virus during this time, and
can have a normal delivery.
Or simply
order your HerpesDoctor© now.
Your HerpesDoctor©
will be on its way to you within the next 4 hours. Your treatment will
arrive in a plain unmarked package.
Order Now.
Herpes
Simplex virus 1 |