Sexually Transmitted Infections
What Are They?
Genital Herpes
What is genital herpes?
Genital Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) which is from the same family of viruses that cause cold sores. Cold sores are generally caused by a type of Herpes Simplex Virus called HSV-1, and genital herpes is usually caused by type HSV-2. However, both types can infect the genital areas, causing painful sores.
There is no cure for genital herpes and often people will have recurring outbreaks. During these outbreaks the infected person will have sores and symptoms for a while, then the virus will go into a dormant stage and the person will have no symptoms again until the next outbreak. The number of outbreaks and the amount of time between outbreaks varies from person to person. Some people may have them frequently and others may have only one or two. It is still possible to transmit the virus during the dormant stages when a person has no symptoms.
How do you get genital herpes?
Genital Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area, typically during oral, anal or vaginal sex. In rare cases, a herpes infection can be spread from mother to child during birth. Active cold sore infections of HSV-1 can also be transmitted through kissing.
When transmitted through oral sex, a herpes infection can be passed both ways - from mouth to genitals, or from genitals to mouth. The herpes virus is not spread through shared toilet seats, swimming pools, hot tubs or bathtubs.
Preventing genital herpes
- Condoms can help prevent HSV. However, because HSV can be passed from skin-to-skin contact, condoms likely offer less protection against HSV than against most other sexually transmitted infections.
- Use condoms and dental dams for protection during oral sex.
- Avoid sex when a person is visibly infected.
- Avoid oral sex with a person who has had a cold sore recently.
- Remember, an infected person can pass the virus even when they have no visible infection, so using protection such as condoms is always important.
Symptoms
Many people with HSV may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. For those with symptoms, an active genital herpes infection may be visible and very embarrassing.
Symptoms for both men and women include:
- Itchiness of genitals
- Small blisters in the vagina or on the vulva or cervix; on or around the penis or testicles; on or around the anus; or on the thighs or buttocks
- Tender lumps on the groin (especially at the time of the first episode)
- The first episode may be accompanied by fever or headaches.
- Blisters often burst leaving painful sores. These sores may dry up leaving scabbing which may fall off
- Painful urination
- A slight tingling or burning may be a sign that an active outbreak is coming
Symptoms typically appear within 2 to 20 days of infection. For those with symptoms, outbreaks may occur frequently during the first few years after infection. As time goes by, these outbreaks are likely to become less common.
Infection from oral sex can cause sores inside the mouth or on the lips of both men and women. Though infection is commonly on or around the mouth or genitals, HSV can sometimes cause outbreaks of sores on the skin elsewhere on the body.
Testing
Testing for Herpes is performed by taking a tissue scraping sample or by taking a culture of an active sore or blister. A blood test can also detect HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections.
Treatment
There is no cure for Herpes, but effective treatments for outbreaks do exist. To be effective these treatments must be started immediately after symptoms appear. Outbreaks of sores may appear again and again throughout a person's life. Medication can be taken to make these outbreaks less common, and to treat the sores themselves.
Managing the symptoms of genital herpes infection:
- Wear loose clothing during outbreaks
- Drinking large amounts of fluids will decrease pain during urination, and urinating in the bath may be less painful
- Wash your hands with soap and water if you touch an infected area, and in particular, do not rub your eyes or touch your mouth after touching infected skin
- Avoid further infection by keeping the infected area clean and dry. When drying actively infected areas, use a hair dryer or lightly pat the area dry
- Epson salts in bath water can help clean and dry out infected areas
- Wash bath towels before reusing and wash underclothing frequently
- A healthy lifestyle including proper diet, adequate rest and low stress levels can improve your immune system, and reduce the likelihood of outbreaks
- If you think you have herpes, see a doctor immediately. Medication is available to help treat infected areas and to reduce the pain of sores. This medication may be prescribed for outbreaks as they happen, or it may be taken regularly to suppress the virus and lower the chance of having an outbreak.
Long-term impact
There is no cure for Herpes, but frequency and severity of infections can be partially managed with medication. By themselves, HSV-1 and HSV-2 are generally not considered a serious health risk. However, in very rare cases, the Herpes Simplex Virus can cause serious illness. Infected pregnant women can pass the virus to infants during birth, causing lesions and possibly life-threatening infections of the central nervous system of the baby. In a very small number of cases HSV can cause meningitis or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and herpes infection of the eye can cause scarring of the cornea and even blindness.
Because Herpes can cause sores on the penis or inside the vagina, it also increases the risk of transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
What to tell your partner
For a few reasons, Herpes may be more difficult to talk about than other STIs: it is incurable, it can be transmitted through oral sex, and condoms do not completely protect against transmission.
For an existing partner, there is a chance they may already have the virus but they may experience no symptoms or only mild symptoms.
If you are diagnosed with the herpes simplex virus, it is important that your partner be tested even if he or she does not have symptoms.
When can I have sex again?
Having Genital Herpes does not mean your sex life is over, but it is an incurable, contagious infection. It can be transmitted through oral sex, and can be transmitted when you have no symptoms. Condoms will help reduce this risk but may not cover all infected areas. So, when deciding to have sex, you and your partner will have to accept a certain amount of risk. It is your responsibility to inform your partner of this risk.
If you have herpes, safer sex should always be practiced. Avoid having sex when you have an active infection. Ask your health care provider for more information about having sex while infected with HSV. Some suppression medications for Herpes may also lower the risk of transmitting the virus.
Oral sex can transmit the virus both ways (from mouth to genitals or from genitals to mouth) so protection is very important for both partners. Male partners should always wear condoms when receiving oral sex. For women, a dental dam or a condom cut lengthwise should be placed over her genitals to form a barrier between mouth and skin.
Last Modified: August 7, 2007
