What is it?
Herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection that is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two different types:
• HSV Type 1 occurs most often on or near the mouth and is often called a cold sore
• HSV Type 2 occurs most often on or near the genitals and is often called genital herpes
• It is not uncommon to have Type 1 on the genitals and sometimes Type 2 on the mouth
How common is it?
Health Canada estimates that worldwide:
• 50% - 90% of adults have HSV type 1
• 20% - 30% of adults have HSV type 2
Dr Stephen Sacks studied 409 randomly chosen women in labour in a Vancouver hospital from May, 1985 and January, 1987. The study showed that there is an increased risk of having HSV type 2 as your number of partners increased. For example, 4.6 % of woman who had one lifetime partner had HSV type 2 and 55% of the woman who had over 10 partners had HSV type 2.
Transmission
Vaginal, anal, and oral sex are the most common methods of spreading genital herpes. Any type of skin-to-skin contact, however, is capable of spreading herpes. A cold sore (HSV) on your partner’s mouth may develop as herpes on your genitals, if you have oral sex.
A person is more likely to pass on the virus when they experience an outbreak. However symptoms do not have to be present to spread genital herpes. Some people are unaware that they have genital herpes because their symptoms are so mild (e.g. bump or rash). 50-80% of people who have herpes don’t even realize they carry the virus, and unknowingly spread it to others.
You can also spread the virus when you have no signs or symptoms of herpes. This is called “asymptomatic viral shedding”. One study indicated that over the course of a year men shed virus 2% of the time and woman 4.3% of the time, when they had no symptoms of herpes.
Symptoms
Once you have been exposed to the virus symptoms usually develop within 2 to 20 days. .
Typical symptoms can include:
• Blisters, sores or cuts, which may be painful, itchy, burn or tingle.
• Redness and sensitivity
• Flu-like symptoms including swollen glands, headache, and muscle ache or fever.
Misdiagnosis is also common. Herpes can be mistaken for razor rash, zipper burn, pimples, bug bites, and recurrent yeast infection
Treatment
While there is no cure for genital herpes, there are treatment options available. There are oral medications that can be used to help lessen pain, and even shorten the length of the outbreak. Some people have frequent outbreaks and may be able to control the outbreaks by taking medication every day. These medications are available by prescription.
Other Facts you should know
HIV
People who have genital herpes may be more at risk for HIV. If you are exposed to HIV during sexual contact and have genital sores, HIV can find easy entry into the body.
Pregnancy
HSV that is passed to a baby before birth, or within the first 6 weeks of life, is called primary Neonatal Herpes. A baby’s immune system is immature and not prepared to fight the infections. Neonatal HSV disease is rare, but serious, and can lead to death.
About 1 in 5 Canadian women has genital herpes during pregnancy, but neonatal HSV is rarely seen in Canada. A safe pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby is the norm in women with genital herpes or in those who have a partner with herpes. This is especially so when a women has had herpes prior to becoming pregnant. In this situation the mother will have antibodies circulating in her blood that will protect the baby during pregnancy and delivery.
The two situations in which the developing fetus may be at risk:
• A severe first time outbreak during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage. This is very uncommon and a hazard that is also present with a number of other virus infections, including the flu.
• A first time outbreak in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy can cause neonatal herpes. Careful monitoring can reduce the risk to the baby.
Prevention
While you should always use a condom for extra protection, you can still have sex if you have genital herpes. It is important to avoid sexual contact if you have any sores (oral or genital) or symptoms
There are some things that you can do that can help reduce the chance of transmission
• Do not have contact with the area when there is an outbreak. (I.e. if you have a sore on your genitals you can still use your hands or mouth).
• Using a condom when not having an outbreak will reduce the chances of spreading HSV from asymptomatic shedding.
• Daily suppressive therapy reduces asymptomatic shedding.
Additional Links
HSV is a large topic and there has been much research done over the years. To keep this posting small we have only covered the main points. We have provided links below for those of you who would like to explore the subject more
Herpes is not usually a serious medical condition. But many people have emotional concerns and issues regarding herpes.
Here is a site that has great info on the infection, the emotional aspects of herpes and how to talk to partners.
http://www.herpessupport.org/
Other sites:
http://www.herpesresourcecenter.com/
http://www.stdresource.com/disease/index.php?page=edit&id=11&action=viewfull
Link with information in six languages:
http://www.herpesalliance.org/
HN
www.stdresource.com
Herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection that is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two different types:
• HSV Type 1 occurs most often on or near the mouth and is often called a cold sore
• HSV Type 2 occurs most often on or near the genitals and is often called genital herpes
• It is not uncommon to have Type 1 on the genitals and sometimes Type 2 on the mouth
How common is it?
Health Canada estimates that worldwide:
• 50% - 90% of adults have HSV type 1
• 20% - 30% of adults have HSV type 2
Dr Stephen Sacks studied 409 randomly chosen women in labour in a Vancouver hospital from May, 1985 and January, 1987. The study showed that there is an increased risk of having HSV type 2 as your number of partners increased. For example, 4.6 % of woman who had one lifetime partner had HSV type 2 and 55% of the woman who had over 10 partners had HSV type 2.
Transmission
Vaginal, anal, and oral sex are the most common methods of spreading genital herpes. Any type of skin-to-skin contact, however, is capable of spreading herpes. A cold sore (HSV) on your partner’s mouth may develop as herpes on your genitals, if you have oral sex.
A person is more likely to pass on the virus when they experience an outbreak. However symptoms do not have to be present to spread genital herpes. Some people are unaware that they have genital herpes because their symptoms are so mild (e.g. bump or rash). 50-80% of people who have herpes don’t even realize they carry the virus, and unknowingly spread it to others.
You can also spread the virus when you have no signs or symptoms of herpes. This is called “asymptomatic viral shedding”. One study indicated that over the course of a year men shed virus 2% of the time and woman 4.3% of the time, when they had no symptoms of herpes.
Symptoms
Once you have been exposed to the virus symptoms usually develop within 2 to 20 days. .
Typical symptoms can include:
• Blisters, sores or cuts, which may be painful, itchy, burn or tingle.
• Redness and sensitivity
• Flu-like symptoms including swollen glands, headache, and muscle ache or fever.
Misdiagnosis is also common. Herpes can be mistaken for razor rash, zipper burn, pimples, bug bites, and recurrent yeast infection
Treatment
While there is no cure for genital herpes, there are treatment options available. There are oral medications that can be used to help lessen pain, and even shorten the length of the outbreak. Some people have frequent outbreaks and may be able to control the outbreaks by taking medication every day. These medications are available by prescription.
Other Facts you should know
HIV
People who have genital herpes may be more at risk for HIV. If you are exposed to HIV during sexual contact and have genital sores, HIV can find easy entry into the body.
Pregnancy
HSV that is passed to a baby before birth, or within the first 6 weeks of life, is called primary Neonatal Herpes. A baby’s immune system is immature and not prepared to fight the infections. Neonatal HSV disease is rare, but serious, and can lead to death.
About 1 in 5 Canadian women has genital herpes during pregnancy, but neonatal HSV is rarely seen in Canada. A safe pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby is the norm in women with genital herpes or in those who have a partner with herpes. This is especially so when a women has had herpes prior to becoming pregnant. In this situation the mother will have antibodies circulating in her blood that will protect the baby during pregnancy and delivery.
The two situations in which the developing fetus may be at risk:
• A severe first time outbreak during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage. This is very uncommon and a hazard that is also present with a number of other virus infections, including the flu.
• A first time outbreak in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy can cause neonatal herpes. Careful monitoring can reduce the risk to the baby.
Prevention
While you should always use a condom for extra protection, you can still have sex if you have genital herpes. It is important to avoid sexual contact if you have any sores (oral or genital) or symptoms
There are some things that you can do that can help reduce the chance of transmission
• Do not have contact with the area when there is an outbreak. (I.e. if you have a sore on your genitals you can still use your hands or mouth).
• Using a condom when not having an outbreak will reduce the chances of spreading HSV from asymptomatic shedding.
• Daily suppressive therapy reduces asymptomatic shedding.
Additional Links
HSV is a large topic and there has been much research done over the years. To keep this posting small we have only covered the main points. We have provided links below for those of you who would like to explore the subject more
Herpes is not usually a serious medical condition. But many people have emotional concerns and issues regarding herpes.
Here is a site that has great info on the infection, the emotional aspects of herpes and how to talk to partners.
http://www.herpessupport.org/
Other sites:
http://www.herpesresourcecenter.com/
http://www.stdresource.com/disease/index.php?page=edit&id=11&action=viewfull
Link with information in six languages:
http://www.herpesalliance.org/
HN
www.stdresource.com
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