Genital or genital herpes refers to viral diseases. This disease is one of the most common among the infections that are sexually transmitted. It is believed that nearly 99% of the population are infected with the herpes simplex virus. The disease occurs equally in both women and men.
Kinds
Depending on the clinical manifestations of genital herpes can be:
- primary infection, that is, signs of herpes appeared for the first time;
- recurrent infections, ie disease pattern is repeated more than once;
- asymptomatic, that is, the person does not suffer from herpes, but it is a virus.
Genital herpes on the specifics of symptoms is divided into typical and atypical.
The disease usually takes 3 stages:
- Stage 1 - affects the vulva;
- Stage 2 - affected the vagina, cervix, urethra in both men and women;
- Stage 3 - in the pathological process involved internal organs: the uterus in women, epididymis, bladder, prostate in men and bladder.
Causes
The causative agent of the disease is herpes simplex virus (HSV), which is divided into HSV type 1 and HSV type 2. Usually, genital herpes is the second type of virus.
The disease is transmitted only through sexual contact, the way home is excluded. The spread of infection contribute to all kinds of sexual intercourse, the traditional sexual and anogenital and oral-genital. Therefore, possible contamination with oral-genital contact with a partner carrier of HSV type 1, especially if there are clinical manifestations of herpes around the lips and in the mouth.
Predisposing factors virus herpes simplex include:
- promiscuous;
- homosexual;
- rejection of condoms;
- lowered immunity;
- hypovitaminosis;
- the use of intrauterine devices;
- abortion with curettage of the uterus;
- constant stress;
- overwork;
- hypothermia;
- other infections, both sexually and shared;
- Climate Change.
Symptoms of Genital Herpes
The period from HSV infection before clinical symptoms can last from 3 to 26 days. Symptoms of genital herpes in men and women, in general, are similar.
As a rule, in the pathological process involved external genitalia: in males bubbles are located on the head of the penis foreskin, the entire length of the penis, groin and scrotum; women vesicles localized pubic labia, in the buttocks and thighs. Through homosexual contact in men affects the buttocks and anus.
First formed vesicles on the background of reddish and swelling of the skin and mucosa at the site of infection. Their appearance is preceded by itching and burning. Bubble size is 2-3 mm, they sometimes form a spot, which occupies an area of 0.5-2.5 cm. At this stage of the disease the vesicles there for long, after 3 days they burst, ulcers occur in their place. Sometimes they are covered with a touch of yellow, and then - a crust. Such wounds heal within 2, a maximum of 4 weeks without scarring.
Patients of both sexes may cause symptoms such as:
- heaviness in the abdomen;
- increase in the inguinal lymph nodes;
- malaise;
- temperature rise;
- headache.
If the process involves the urethra and bladder, the expressed signs of disorders of urination, blood in the urine.
Atypical forms of genital herpes characterized erased or abortifacient (short) for the disease. When this affects not only the external genitalia but internal: the uterus, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles. Most often, patients complain of persistent itching and burning, the women are noted whites who do not respond to treatment. In this case, the vesicles and swelling may be missing on the genitals, visible only red (erythematous) spots.
Photo: site of the Department of dermatology Tomsk Military Medical Institute
Genital herpes and pregnancy
Especially the risk of infection with genital herpes or recurrent disease in the first and last trimesters of pregnancy. The infection can cause spontaneous miscarriage, Missed abortion, premature birth or a child with developmental abnormalities. In addition, during the passage through the birth canal of a woman with obvious clinical signs of infection may be infected and the child, which can lead to its destruction.
Therefore pregnant with atypical form of infection in the past 6 months examined (mucus of the cervical canal), the presence of HSV antigen. If it is found, it is carried elective caesarean section.
Read more about herpes during pregnancy can be read in our separate article.
Diagnostics
In the first place, the differential diagnosis aims to distinguish between genital herpes and primary syphilis. It is also necessary to distinguish the disease from pemphigus, recurrent thrush, Red flat depriving and staphylococcal impetigo.
Diagnosis is based on history data representative of complaints and clinical signs. In addition, using additional laboratory methods for the detection of HSV or antibodies in the blood.
To identify the HSV DNA, the material is made from several sections of the fence: the cervix, urethra, etc. Analysis is also subject to the prostate secretions, urine, and so on. Then an inoculation of biological media to detect the presence of the virus or the HSV antigen is determined by polymerase chain reaction. For detection of antibodies of class M and G using laboratory blood tests: the analysis of fluorescent antibody and immunoperoxidase method.
*consult with federal guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of herpes for 2013., on which this article is written.
Genital Herpes Treatment
Treatment of genital herpes has been doctor-dermatologist.
In order to eliminate the virus (removing it from the blood), clinical manifestations attenuation and reduce the frequency of relapses used antiviral drugs in tablets and injections (systemic therapy) and in ointments, creams and gels.
- Most often assigned Zovirax antiviral agent (acyclovir). He was appointed including during pregnancy.
Noninferiority are:
- foscarnet (pyrophosphate analogue);
- valacyclovir;
- alpizarin;
- panavir.
The duration of treatment depends on the shape and clinical manifestations of disease and usually is 1 - 1.5 months. Six months later, a second course.
Furthermore, the first stage of treatment comprises administering the immunomodulatory drugs:
- interferon and its analogues: viferon, Genferon;
- interferon inducers, such Lavomax, tsikloferon, antiherpethetical immunoglobulin taktivin and others.
In the second stage of the disease antiviral drugs are applied topically on the background of vitamins B1 and B6 autohemotherapy and receive bracing means (tinctures ginseng, Eleutherococcus, Echinacea).
The third stage of treatment is to conduct vaccine therapy herpes vaccine. And after a recurrence of the disease must undergo a minimum of 2 months.
Consequences and outlook
The most dangerous genital herpes during pregnancy, complications were considered by us above.
When genital herpes likely also:
- secondary infections with the development of ulcers creeping cellulitis;
- urinary retention;
- synechia in the labia (of varying degrees of fusion);
- infertility in both men and women (with the defeat of internal genital organs);
- are not excluded and problems of a sexual nature.
From genital herpes can not be removed, treatment is aimed at reducing the frequency of relapses and the prevention of complications, so the prognosis of the disease relatively favorable.
Sections on diagnosis and treatment of genital herpes comply Federal clinical guidelines for 2013
