What is genital herpes?
The genital herpes virus is transmitted from skin-to-skin contact.
The sexually transmitted infection in characterized by recurrent symptomatic episodes of rash.
There are two types of genital herpes:
- Type I (VHS-1) is mostly manifested in the face, around the mouth (cold sores) and on genitals.
- Type II (VHS-2) is mostly manifested around the anus, the genitals and rarely near the mouth.
Symptoms
Genital herpes can be asymptomatic.
Initial episode: the first episode is most of the time more painful, intense and diffuse than the recidivism. It lasts around 20 days without treatment.
Genital herpes can cause fever, muscular pain, burn sensations, redness and pustular and ulcerated lesions causing liquid.
The recidivism: it happens after the initial episode. The virus inactivates and hide between the nervous cells of the ganglia. When it reactivates, it goes back to surface trough the nerves and can cause symptoms and lesions on the skin.
Factors encouraging the virus reactivation
- Stress and lifestyle
- Sun exposition
- Fever or other immune system problems
- Menstruations
- Injuries
- Dental surgery
Recidivism episode’s symptoms are less intense than the initial episode and last around 10 days.
During the recidivism, the lesions are smaller, less painful and at the same spot on the body than it was during the initial episode. They can be located around the anus, the genitals, the thighs and the buttock.
Some people can feel some harbinger symptoms before episodes. Those signs can emerge a couple hours to 2 days before the rash
Transmission
Genital herpes transmission happens from skin-to-skin contact between a activated infection region during:
- Any sexual contact with the skin (thigh, buttock) or mucous (mouth, nose, vulva, vagina, anus, penis) with or without penetration (oral sex, vaginal sex and anal sex).
- During childbirth, if the mother is infected.
Two conditions must be reunited for a transmission:
- The virus must be on the infected person’s skin.
- The uninfected person must have a aperture in contact of the infected person’s skin.
The virus might be active on the skin:
- A couple days before the rash episode
- During the symptomatic episode
- A couple days after the rash episode
- During the asymptomatic period
A person living with genital herpes might be more at risk of contracting HIV because his lesions can represent apertures for the virus.
Transmission from sexual toys is possible, but from a infectious object (towel, toilet seat, etc.) is rare.
Asymptomatic periods
It is possible to transmit the virus when there is no lesion. The virus can be infectious from the skin if there is a sufficient quantity. Although, it would not be enough infectious to cause lesions from the skin only.
The asymptomatic periods are impossible to predict and can happen around 3% of the time during the first year after an infectious period. During the two years after, they happen around 1% of the year and last 1 t 2 days.
The number of periods without symptoms decreases with time if no recidivism happens.
An antiviral treatment taken on a regular basis can reduce the asymptomatic excreta.
Diagnostic
The genital herpes diagnosis can be pronounced when visual signs are present. A lesions sample confirms the diagnosis. Also, a blood test can help to affirm that the person lives with genital herpes.
Detection
The genital herpes detection is not included in the STIs general detection.
Treatments
There are no treatment or vaccine that eliminate genital herpes for the moment.
However, there are very effective antiviral drugs that reduce symptoms as Valtrex, Zovirax and Famvir. You must meet a doctor for a prescription.
Prevention methods
- Use of masculine condom
- Surveillance of precursor signs of a rash
- Sexual abstinence during the rash and the period before
- Use of antiviral drugs everyday
- Use of antiviral drugs for the pregnant woman from the 36th week of pregnancy
- Caesarean childbirth if the woman has some genital lesions
Life with herpes
An herpes diagnosis can affect emotions and self-esteem. Feel free to meet a sexologist or a doctor.
You are not alone!
Around the world, for people of 55 years old and younger (OMS, 2015) :
3,7 billion of people live with Type-I herpes
400 billion of people live with Type-II herpes
Get informed
Get recent and credible information is a key to accept the diagnosis and the break the myth. A better knowledge about herpes helps to normalize the existence of the virus and to adopt better preventive habits to avoid transmission.
Try to relativize
Herpes doesn’t define who you are. You are not the virus and it doesn’t change a thing about your personality and what you want to become.
A person living with herpes can live an happy and healthy sexual life. The virus is not a danger for the person’s life except for people with a low immune system or a baby that contract the virus during labour and doesn’t see a doctor for control after.
Info-Herpes Project
That project helps people living with herpes or at risk to contract the virus. They offer information, references and support.
Info Herpès
2065 rue Parthenais, suite 302
Montréal
Support group (Montreal)
Monthly meetings are offering information sessions and discussion groups with other people in similar situations.
Distance interventions
Support and information services via email, chat infoherpes@gmail.com, Facebook (infoherpes) and telephone 1-844-847-4242. Their services are available from Monday to Thursday 9 :00 AM to 4 :00 PM.
Discussions to beat prejudice, to demystify myths and to reduce fears about herpes.
Thematic workshops
Sessions with a bachelor sexologist discussing about sexuality and herpes.
Herpes 101 formation
The program was developed for health and social professional’s working with people that are living with herpes. The program helps to update their knowledge and to them tool up.
Info Herpès
2065 rue Parthenais, suite 302
Montréal
Last update : Novembre 2017