Genital Herpes: Sexually Transmitted Infection

Genital herpes is an STI or sexually transmitted infection which is caused by HSV or herpes simplex virus. There are two types of HSV classified as HSV1 and HSV2, HSV1 virus affects mouth and lips and causes cold sores however this infection can spread to genital organs too. HSV2 causes genital herpes, both these viruses spread through sexual contact or through transfer of fluids from infected person to another. HSV affects mucous membranes and skin of a person and it does not show visible symptoms necessarily in every person. However person not bearing any visible symptoms of the infection can infect a healthy person.

Once HSV enters the system it hides itself in the nerve endings of the body. It can remain in dormant state for few weeks to few months and become active. In many cases this virus does not show any symptoms or shows mild symptoms which get ignored as insect or mosquito bites. Person once infected by this virus carry it throughout his or her life and can infect others through sexual contact. This virus becomes active when immunity system gets weaker, during stress or when person is sick or ill. There are certain medicines which can only keep this virus from getting active but cannot flush it out of the system. The only method to avoid the infection is by preventing skin contact with infected person and by preventing transfer of saliva in any way like kissing, sexual contact, sharing clothes, utensils and razors etc.

Many people do not have symptoms of infection but if symptoms occur immediately after infection these are severe. Usually symptoms of infection occur in 2 days to 2 weeks of infection. Decreased appetite, fever, general sick feeling or malaise, swollen or tender lymph nodes in the groin are general symptoms of the infection. Along with these, ache in muscles of lower back, buttocks, thighs or knee is also experienced. If it is genital herpes appearances of small painful blisters with clear or straw-colored fluid is noticed within 2 days to 2 weeks of infection. In women, these blisters appear on the outer lips of vagina, vagina, cervix, in and around anus, thighs and buttocks. In men these blisters occur on penis, scrotum, in and around anus, thighs and buttocks.

Blisters on gums, lips, mouth, eyes, fingers and other parts of the body appear in both sexes. Before blisters appear person feels skin tingling, burning, itching or pain in the area where blister is about to appear. When blister bursts it leaves a shallow ulcer which crusts and vanishes in about 7-12 days. Second outbreak is less severe and later frequency of outbreaks gets lower and lower. However frequency of outbreaks varies from person to person, some may experience it once in a year while some in every couple of weeks. Person should not practice unprotected sex, or come in skin to skin contact with infected person; condoms provide protection to an extent but not completely. Some women can experience an outbreak regularly during periods.