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Genital Herpes: Infections
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Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus. It's transmitted during sex through contact with the skin of someone with the infection. It's therefore important to always use condoms with new partners; you should ... use one with a long-term partner when blisters are present.
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Herpes II is a sexually transmitted viral infection, which often produces painful sores, usually in the genital area. Once infected, an individual may carry the virus and be subject to recurrent bouts of infection. Some estimate that as many as 20 percent of the adult population in the United States has been exposed to the virus.
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Three antiviral medications that have been shown in studies to provide clinical benefit for genital herpes. These medications are acyclovir, valaclovir, and famcyclovir. Acyclovir was one of the first medications to be used for viral infections including herpes. It works by limiting the replication and further spread of the virus to other cells. It cannot prevent the destruction of cells that are already infected with the virus. Valacyclovir is metabolized in the liver and intestines to acyclovir and can be used in lower doses than acyclovir.
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Although there is no cure for genital herpes, the antiviral medication Famvir® (famciclovir), when used for suppressive therapy can reduce the frequency and duration of outbreaks from 5 to 1 over a one-year period. In clinical trials, 29 percent of patients were recurrence free after one year versus 6 percent on placebo. Famvir has ... been shown to reduce all symptoms associated with episodic or individual outbreaks of genital herpes. Famvir is proven to abort viral shedding 47 percent sooner compared to placebo. In addition, genital herpes is one of the most common co-infections in HIV-infected people and Famvir is the only antiviral medication indicated to treat recurrent genital herpes in HIV-infected patients. Famvir was also shown to have a favorable safety profile in clinical trials.
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With genital herpes, symptoms can appear a few days after it is first picked up—or a few years later. And, for reasons that are not understood, not everyone will have an outbreak. The type and number of outbreaks people have will vary greatly, and they can be triggered by factors such as illness, stress and certain surgeries. Some outbreaks may be so mild as to be completely overlooked, or be mistaken for yeast infections, insect bites, jock itch and even hemorrhoids. The first outbreak is usually the most severe, causing flu-like symptoms, burning and painful blisters that become open sores.
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Genital herpes is a common virus infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of this virus: types 1 and 2. As well as the genitals, the virus can infect the anus, buttocks, top of the thighs, mouth, lips or face; infection on the lips or face results in facial herpes, which includes cold sores. These infections have an essentially identical appearance when on external surfaces.
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