Genital herpes, a common STD, has symptoms that primarily affect the genitals and rectum. This eMedTV Web page explains how the disease is transmitted, lists the treatments that are available, and describes the symptoms of the condition.
Genital herpes is caused by either the herpes simplex type 1 or herpes simplex type 2 virus. This page from the eMedTV Web site discusses these genital herpes causes in more detail and explains how the virus is transmitted.
You can transmit genital herpes by having direct skin-to-skin or mucous membrane contact with someone. This eMedTV page takes a closer look at how the herpes virus is spread, including whether herpes can be transmitted by a person without any symptoms.
The incubation period for genital herpes is typically six to eight days. As this eMedTV article explains, in some cases, the period between herpes transmission and the start of symptoms can be as short as one day or as long as 26 days.
Early symptoms of genital herpes may include flu-like symptoms, painful urination, and swollen glands. This eMedTV segment lists other early genital herpes symptoms and also describes symptoms of genital herpes recurrences.
Common symptoms of genital herpes may include difficulty urinating, swollen glands, and flu-like symptoms. This eMedTV Web page lists other possible symptoms, including those that can appear during a recurrence of herpes.
Some of the ways of making a genital herpes diagnosis include a blood test or a viral culture of a lesion. This eMedTV article describes the tests that can be used to make a diagnosis and lists other conditions that share similar symptoms.
As explained in this part of the eMedTV site, blood tests are useful in detecting the herpes virus in people with no visible symptoms. This article describes the various blood tests available and compares the only two FDA-cleared blood tests in detail.
Antivirals such as valacyclovir and famciclovir are often used as part of genital herpes treatment. This eMedTV resource explains how genital herpes is managed during different stages of infection and offers pain relief suggestions for outbreaks.
Common drugs used to treat genital herpes include acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir. This eMedTV Web page describes each one of these medications for genital herpes in more detail and explains the effects of the drugs.
Talking with your doctor, partner, and family can be helpful when living with genital herpes. This eMedTV page offers other suggestions for coping with genital herpes and explains the possible physical and emotional effects it may have on you.
Possible genital herpes complications include an increased risk for other STDs and newborn infections. This eMedTV segment offers a more detailed description of the potential complications that may occur in people with genital herpes.
Common genital herpes prevention strategies include using condoms and abstaining from sex. This eMedTV segment discusses other ways of protecting yourself from this STD and also explains how you can prevent spreading it to others.
In the United States, almost one in five adolescents and adults has had a genital herpes infection. This eMedTV article contains other statistics on genital herpes and describes the dramatic increase of herpes cases from 1966 to 2005.
Women who contract genital herpes later in pregnancy may require a C-section. This eMedTV Web page offers more information on this topic, including the risks for neonatal herpes (herpes in the newborn) and how to prevent it.
This portion of the eMedTV archives provides a discussion on genital herpes and breastfeeding. It describes how a nursing woman can keep her baby from coming into contact with the dangerous herpes sores.
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