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A: Herpes is the name for a family of 80 known viruses. Eight of them cause disease in people, the most common being herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2). HSV1 usually occurs above the waist (eg: cold sores) and HSV2 usually occurs below the waist (eg: genital herpes)
A: The symptoms of genital herpes include clusters of sores, blisters, bumps and rashes in the genital area. Other symptoms may include burning during urination, tenderness, tingling, swollen lymph nodes, or soreness in the genital area.
A: You get genital herpes from a sexual partner who has the virus. It can be transmitted even if your partner doesn't currently have visible signs of the virus. The virus penetrates the body through the skin, infecting the cells, which then reproduce copies of the virus. The genital herpes virus stays in your body for life.
A: Yes. In fact, up to 70% of people with genital herpes caught it from a partner without any symptoms. And many people who carry the virus haven't yet had an outbreak so they don't even know they have genital herpes.
A: You can reduce the risk of transmission if you:
A: No drug has been proven to prevent the spread of herpes infection to other people. You or your partner should always use condoms or avoid sexual contact during a herpes outbreak.
A: Everyone is different. But on average, most patients have 3 or 4 outbreaks a year. Most people eventually have fewer and less severe outbreaks as their immunity builds up over time.
A: The medical community doesn't know exactly what causes a recurrence, but many people with the virus cite causes such as stress, menstruation, skin irritation from sunburn, sunlight, fatigue, diet, surgery, and vigorous sexual intercourse.
A: At least 50 million Americans have the virus that causes genital herpes and up to half a million new cases are diagnosed each year.
A: Yes. Because once it's confirmed, there are steps you can take to reduce the impact of genital herpes on your life. Prescription medication can relieve the uncomfortable symptoms and shorten outbreaks or even suppress them. Safer sex can prevent the spread of genital herpes. So talking to your doctor can help you decide how to treat your infection and prevent your partner from catching it.
A: Women with genital herpes have healthy babies all the time. But if you become infected with herpes while pregnant or if you have an outbreak at the time of delivery, you may transmit the infection to the baby. So take precautions to ensure you don't get herpes during pregnancy. If you do have genital herpes and become pregnant, it's very important to discuss it with your doctor so measures can be taken that will protect the baby from infection.
