A viral infection (similar to those to cold sores and eyes) causing painful blisters to genitals, thighs, rectal area and buttocks
Symptoms normally appear three to fourteen days after exposure and last up to 20 days.
Symptoms are at most on first three to four days after exposure.
Once one has had an initial infection the virus remains dormant in your body causing recurrent infections (please note some people carry the virus for months to years with no symptoms it needs a trigger to ‘activate’ the virus).
Symptoms of primary genital herpes are more severe in women, as are complications.
In men and women, the ulcerative lesions persist from 4-15 days until encrusting and skin heeling occurs.
The average duration of viral shedding is about 12 days.
It may 2-4 weeks to resolve.
Medscape
If one has lesions and/or broken skin in the genital area or have recurrent infections, sex should be avoided as the virus can shed even if one has no symptoms, a condom may help to prevent transmission but they do not always cover the affected area. The virus does not travel through the body via saliva, but if one touches the infected area and then touch another area
Diagnosis Tests
Viral culture
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)
Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can be used under medical supervision, however Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs is not recommended in asthma or asthma type symptoms or if one has bleeding symptoms from the anus. Check with your Medical doctor/Pharmacist when one can have any type of fever reducing medication to make sure it suitable for you.
Cause
Virus: Herpes-simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) however HSV-2 tends to be known for the cause of genital mucosa and has been traditionally more associated with genital infections.
The virus is not contracted from objects such as towels, sheets, cups, cutlery, baths, swimming pools or blood, and it is easier to infect the thin skin of the lips, genital and anal region rather than normal skin.
Red blisters that burst leaving open sores on areas of genitals, thighs, rectal area and buttocks?
Tender swollen lymph nodes around the groin (inguinal lymphadenitis). In first episodes of the disease, lesions and lymphadenitis are typically both sides of groin?
High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
Headache which is ‘on and off’ longer than a week or a constant headache longer than 24 hours?
General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
If you develop genital herpes for the first time (primary infection) during the first or second trimester (up to week 26 of the pregnancy), there is no increased risk of miscarriage or your baby developing developmental problems.
If you develop genital herpes for the first time during the third trimester (week 27 of the pregnancy until birth), particularly during the last six weeks of the pregnancy, the risk of passing the virus on to your baby is considerably higher.
This is because you will not have time to develop protective antibodies to pass to your baby, and the virus can be passed to your baby before or during the birth.
To prevent this happening, you may need to have a caesarean section delivery.
A caesarean section is an operation to deliver your baby by making a cut in the front wall of your abdomen (tummy) and womb. If you give birth vaginally, the risk of passing the virus on to your baby is around four in 10.
If you develop genital herpes during the latter stages of pregnancy, you will need to take antiviral medicine continuously for the last four weeks of your pregnancy. However, this may not prevent the need for a caesarean.
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Genital Herpes in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
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