Genital Herpes

Overview

There are about 1.5 million cases of genital herpes per year in Nigeria. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus and is passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex. 

There is no cure for genital herpes, but medications can ease symptoms and reduce the risk of infecting others.

Key Facts

• Herpes simplex causes a viral skin condition commonly known as cold sores (when on the face), whitlows (on fingers) or herpes on genitals or other skin areas.
• Around 80% of people infected with genital herpes don’t know they have the herpes virus
• As many as one in three adults have the virus that causes genital herpes.
• There is an effective treatment available if herpes symptoms are problematic.
• The herpes virus can be passed on when there is no symptoms present.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms are common but don’t always occur. These can include:

• Small blisters that burst to leave red, open sores around your genitals, anus, thighs or bottom
• Tingling, burning or itching around your genitals
• Pain when you pee
• In women, vaginal discharge is not usual for you

As the virus lives on in the body, repeat outbreaks and symptoms may appear months or years after the initial infection. It is worth noting that repeat outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes. Over time, outbreaks tend to happen less frequently and are less severe in symptoms. 

Diagnosis

If you have symptoms, your doctor will take a sample of fluid from any sores using a swab. If you do not have visible sores or blisters, the sample won’t be able to be taken.

If you are diagnosed with genital herpes, previous sexual partners should get tested.

Causes & Prevention

Causes

It is very easy to pass on genital herpes from the first tingling or itching, before any blisters appear, to when sores have fully healed. It is worth remembering that it can be passed on, even when there are no symptoms.

Genital herpes can be passed:

• Through skin-to-skin contact with the infected area (including vaginal, anal and oral sex)
• If a cold sore touches your genitals
• By transferring the infection on your fingers from someone else to your genitals
• By sharing sex toys with someone who has herpes

It is worth noting that the virus dies quickly outside of the body, and therefore,  is nearly impossible to get genital herpes through contact with toilets, towels or other objects used by an infected person.

Prevention

You can reduce the chances of passing herpes on by:

• Use a condom every time you have vaginal, oral or anal sex
• Use a dental dam (a piece of thin, soft plastic or latex) to cover the female genitals during oral sex or when female genitals touch or are rubbing together
• Don’t share sex toys with other sexual partners. If you do share your sex toys, properly clean them or cover them with a new condom between each person who uses them.

Treatments

Although there is no cure, symptoms usually clear up by themselves. However, the blisters can come back – this is known as an outbreak or recurrence. Your treatment depends on if it is the first time, a repeat outbreak and the severity of the symptoms.

Treatment the first time you have genital herpes

Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medicine to prevent the symptoms from worsening. This should be taken within five days of the symptoms, and apply a cream for the pain.

Treatment for repeat occurrences

If you have previously been diagnosed with genital herpes and need treatment for a new outbreak, make sure you see your doctor. Antiviral medicine can help shorten an outbreak by 1 or 2 days if it starts as soon as symptoms appear. But like before, outbreaks usually resolve by themselves, so you may not need additional treatment. If you experience more than six outbreaks in a year, you may benefit from taking antiviral medicine for 6 to 12 months. If, while taking this medication, you still have outbreaks of genital herpes, you may be referred to a specialist.

Conclusion

Although there is no cure for genital herpes, outbreaks can reduce frequency and severity. Prevention is key to reducing the spread of genital herpes.