Herpes genitalis

Herpes genitalis is an infectious sexually transmitted disease which is caused by the herpes virus (herpes simplex virus or human herpes virus). The herpes viruses are subdivided into type 1 and type 2 (HHV 1 and HHV 2). Most people are already in the childhood infected with type 1. These are herpes vesicles seeming again and again the typical symptoms at the lips. In addition, the vesicles can appear also at the mouth mucosa. The causative agents can penetrate and increase there about micro skin injuries into the skin. The first herpetic infection often goes is, however, already is in the body and sleeps without symptoms, the disease. The causative agents are spread over the nerve tracts to the roots of the nerves and wait for certain triggers which activate them again. How long it lasts, to the disease breaks out, is different. With some people likes himself the outbreak even years delay, others however suffer from it almost monthly. Menstruation, injuries, fevers, influenza or continuous stress situations can favor an outbreak.

At the outbreak of the infection small vesicles form on the skin within few hours or days. The vesicles are infectious since the viruses stay in the vesicle fluid. Removes the frequency of the herpes outbreaks with an advancing age, there is not a definite healing, however, yet.

Approximately 90% of the infections in the genital area are caused by the type 2 which contains 10% of the illnesses of the type 1. Himself had a lip herpes before, who can fall ill with herpes genitalises also. As a rule, HHV 2 are made the infection by sexual intercourse of the infected partner with this. For the reduction in the infection risk is advisable also at the oral traffic to use condoms. If the disease breaks out during the pregnancy, it can fetus get life-threatening. A woman infected with herpes genitalises can infect her child during the birth who can lead to life-threatening illnesses with the child. Persons infected with herpeses mustn't enter into contact with newborn childs since this can lead to heavy damages with the babies.

Symptoms

The patients suffer from fever three to nine days after the infection, exhaustion and vomiting. The lymph nodes are swollen. At the labia, the sheath at the os uteri, as well as small vesicles form at the penis and at the rectum more rarely. It comes to the discharge, burning, pruritus and pains at the urination. The vesicles burst open and it comes to the ulcer formation. The wounds can be infected with bacteria or yeast mushrooms.

The sexual intercourse can spread the virus depending on species on other parts of the body. It can come to a very painful sore throat in the mouth and pharynx area. It can come here to pains, accompanied by a bloody discharge, at an infection in the anal area.

Diagnosis

As a rule, the disease can already be diagnosed by course and phenotype. A smear can in addition from the herpes vesicles and one be carried out most barely. An examination and if necessary a con-treatment of the partner also makes sense.

Therapy

The medical treatment is made by antiviral medicines. Vesicles can locally be spread to the alleviation with ointments. The earlier is begun with the medical treatment, the better the effect of the medicines is. The disease can get life-threatening at a weakened immune system.