Genital herpes also called simply as “herpes” is the most common sexual infection affecting millions of people in the USA. It is the Herpes Simplex Virus that gets transmitted through sexual intercourse from one person to another. Both men and women are infected with herpes and the main symptoms of herpes are itching and painful sores in the genitals. Even if a person has no visible sore he can infect virus to others if he carries the virus.
Though there is no cure for genital herpes still medications are available for reducing the intensity of its symptoms. Using condoms is the only way to prevent this infection. Herpes virus gains entry through tiny tears on the skin of the genital organs and travels through the nerve roots finding suitable place in the spinal cord. It can remain dormant for several years and become active when your immunity is lowered. Once the virus becomes active it would again travel to the original site of infection causing painful sores and blisters. Genital herpes is contagious.
Genital Herpes Causes :
Genital herpes is caused by Herpes Simplex Virus-2. The outbreak of this infection will be high if the immunity of the infected person becomes weak due to hormonal imbalance, stress or any other infection. Genital herpes will spread through sexual contact and is highly contagious. And one cannot receive it by sharing towels or using the toilet of the infected person.
HSV-1 is the virus affects your mouth causing cold sores being the symptoms of oral herpes. It will gain entry into the vagina or men’s genital when a person has oral sex with the infected person. More than 50 million people in the America are carriers of genital herpes. Women are more infected than men by HSV since they do not show any symptoms. Most of them will have minimal symptoms like mild itching or no symptoms at all.
Symptoms Of Genital Herpes :
In most of the cases genital herpes will not produce any symptoms and if at all they have symptoms it is only mild. There will be mild itching and pain on the genital area few weeks after sexual contact with the infected person. It takes several weeks or months to develop red blisters or tiny white bumps on the genitals. In some cases it becomes ulcer oozing out foul smelling liquid.
In women blisters can appear on the vagina, buttocks or even anus. In men sores will be seen on the penis and scrotum area apart from anus and buttocks. In addition it may cause inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis) and whitish vaginal discharge. In rare cases it will cause pain while urinating. Some people may get flu like symptoms after the initial outbreak of the virus. The symptoms are not the same for all persons. The virus may recur even after months or years. Stress, hormonal imbalance, illness or intake of medications can aggravate the symptoms.