USF-COMDepartment
of Family Medicine
Patient Education Information on...
Index of
Patient Education Topics
GENERAL INFORMATION
Herpes is caused by the Herpex Simplex II virus. Currently, over
30 million Americans have the herpes virus.
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SYMPTOMS
Herpes manifests itself as painful, fluid-filled blisters that develop
into sores that appear in the genital area or anus. Occasionally,
when a person first gets an outbreak they may get fever, aches, swollen
glands in the groin, and women may develop a vaginal discharge. Although
not a life-threatening disease to healthy adults, it can cause severe complications
in the elderly, immunocompromised, and in newborns who may develop neurological
problems, seizures, and death.
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HOW DOES A PERSON GET GENITAL HERPES?
People get herpes from vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, and extremely close
contact. Gays, lesbians, and heterosexuals can get it. The most common
way a person can get gential herpes is for their genitals to come
in contact with genitalia that has blisters and/or sores. It is contact
that is necessary, actual intercourse is not required.
Occasionally, people get genital herpes when their genitalia comes in
contact with hepetic blisters and sores on their partner’s mouth which
are commonly called cold sores. It is important to understand that
many of these blisters and sores are not always easily seen, especially
in women who may have them inside their vagina, and that rarely people
can get genital herpes from a partner who did not have any blisters or
sores.
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PREVENTION
The best prevention for herpes is abstinence or a manogamous relationship
with someone you trust. Condoms can help prevent herpes, but they
are not as effective in preventing herspes as they are in preventing other
sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, because the blisters may not
be on the shaft of the penis or in the vagina. If you know that you
or your partner has herpes, limit sexual and intimate contact to those
times that there are no sores or blisters are present, and if a male is
involved he should wear a condom.
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IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE HERPES OR HAVE BEEN IN INTIMATE
CONTACT WITH SOMEONE YOU THINK MIGHT HAVE HERPES, SEE YOUR DOCTOR.
Although there is no cure for gential herpes there is treatment to decrease
the duration and frequency of the painful blisters and sores.
One such drug is Acyclovir which is only available
with a prescription. When used intermittently for outbreaks, acyclovir
has few side effects, but rarely can cause nausea, vomitting, and
diarrhea. Your doctor can diagnose herpes by a viral culture test
taken when you have an blister or sore or he can run a blood test called
a Western Blot.
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FURTHER INFORMATION
Further information on Genital Herpes can be obtained from:
National STD hotline @ 1-800-227-8922,or
various websites on the internet such as: