What Types Of Herpes Are There

What Are Genital Herpes Infections Like

The first herpes infection is usually the worst one. Genital herpes infections come back over and over again. The first time, you may have one sore or many sores. The sores are painful. Some may be hidden inside the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from your bladder. The sores make urination painful. Some people also have a fever, a sore throat, deep tiredness and body aches. These problems might last three weeks.

After the first infection, HSV sores can come back any time. They often come back when you are sick with something else and when your immune system isnt strong enough. Genital herpes might come back 4 to 6 times a year at first. After a few years, the herpes sores hurt less. They come back less often.

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Why Growing Old Is One Of The Best Things That Can Happen To You

People who have had HSV-1 are less likely to contract HSV-2 than those who have not. Previous exposure to HSV-1 also decreases the severity of an HSV-2 outbreak. Reoccurrence of the virus is common, and the virus can be active yet asymptomatic. These infections are more likely to be contracted since the person isnt aware the virus is active. Studies have shown that 50 percent of the cases of sexual transmission of the virus occurred during asymptomatic infections.

Chickenpox rash caused by varicella-zoster.

Is Genital Herpes Infection Related To Hiv

Herpes and HIV are caused by different viruses. But patients infected with these viruses are more likely to transmit either disease to their sexual partners. Patients with herpes are more vulnerable to HIV infection. People newly diagnosed with herpes should be tested for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections.

Patients who are infected with both herpes and HIV also may have a higher concentration of HIV viruses in their body because of the interaction between the herpes virus and the HIV virus. When HIV damages a persons immune system, the person may be more likely to shed herpes simplex virus asymptomatically.

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How Many Types Of Herpes Are There

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When you hear the word herpes, what do you think of? For most people, herpes is associated with the HSV-1 and HSV-2 herpes simplex viruses, which are the two most commonly occurring types of herpes.

But did you know that, in total, there are actually eight different types of herpes that can affect humans, ranging from the relatively common HSV-1, to recurrent viruses like HHV-3 , HHV-4 and recently observed forms of the virus, such as HHV-6, 7 and 8?

Yeah.

And of these, one type of herpesvirus , can be divided into two separate viruses. There are over 100 forms of herpes that can affect animals, although few of the viruses are of concern for humans.

Below, weve listed all eight types of the herpesvirus that can infect humans, along with a short description of how each type affects the body, infection statistics and the treatment options that are currently available.

Clinical Management Of Zoster And Varicella

Acute management of zoster lesions involves pain management with analgesics, local treatment and specific antivirals.

Antivirals

In general higher doses of antivirals are required for zoster than HSV infections and should be started within 72 hours of rash onset. Similar to treatment of HSV, antivirals for VZV reduce viral shedding and duration of disease. They may also reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia. Acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir are the preferred first line drugs. Treatment is continued for 7-10 days or until lesions have crusted. Although no comparative trials have been performed, acyclovir is considered inferior because of its relatively poor bioavailability and more frequent dosing.

The comparative doses of the commonly used antivirals against zoster are listed in Box 25.4. Most HIV infected patients with localised zoster require only oral treatment as an outpatient. However, cutaneous dissemination and visceral involvement require intravenous acyclovir for treatment.

Acyclovir resistant zoster

Resistant zoster, generally presenting as persistent lesions refractory to treatment, is usually due to deficient or altered thymidine kinase. Cross resistance among the first line antivirals is expected. In this case, IV foscarnet at 40 mg/kg q8h may be effective.

Varicella

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I Had Lesions When I Was Evaluated But My Culture Was Negative Does This Mean That I Dont Have Herpes

Not necessarily. Although lesions can be caused by something other than herpes, false negative herpes tests can occur if the samples are not taken appropriately, if there is a long transport time between the clinic and the laboratory, or if cultures were taken late in the course of the lesions. Lesions that occur early in the course of a herpes outbreak are much more likely to have positive cultures than cultures taken after the lesions crust over.

How Are Shingles And Herpes Treated

Neither condition can be cured, but treatments are available.

Shingles is treated with both antiviral prescription medications that can speed up your healing and with medications that can help with your pain. Your exact treatment plan will depend on how severe your case is, your overall health, and the medications you already take.

Antiviral options include:

Herpes is also treated with antiviral medication.

Antivirals can help you heal first and reduce your symptoms. Depending on your case and your overall health, you might take these medications during an outbreak or daily.

Options for herpes treatment include both acyclovir and valacyclovir.

Some other pain management options may include:

• numbing patches, gels, or creams you can apply to your skin
• codeine or other narcotic medications
• steroid injections
• anticonvulsants or antidepressants that can control pain

Talk to a doctor about the use of any of the treatments above. These treatments should not be used without guidance by a medical professional so that you can help avoid any unintended side effects, such as allergic reactions.

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How Many Different Types Of Herpes Are There

There is no cure for herpes.

• The health care provider may prescribe antiviral medicine to help speed up the healing process. It also shortens the time when the virus can spread from the herpes sores.
• Pain may be treated with medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin or by applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area.
• If sores are in the mouth, avoid foods high in acid, like citrus fruits and juices.
• The infected area should be kept clean and dry.
• Wash hands often and avoid touching the sores to prevent spreading the virus.
• It is important to stay healthy by getting enough rest, having proper nutrition and exercise and managing stress well.

Usmle Step 2 Style Questions Usmle

A 19-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of fever, confusion and a headache. Medical history is significant for in the form of . reveals increased protein and lymphocytes, and glucose of 66mg/dl. Magnetic resonance imagining shows increased signal in the left . Which of the following visual defects might be present in this patient?

Most of the time, when or HSV infects a person, there are no symptoms.

In fact, it also usually moves from one person to another in the absence of symptoms, so it can therefore it can move through a population silently.

Once in a while, though, it can cause symptoms, and typically those are in the form of skin and mucous membrane lesions which can be divided into infections above the waistmostly involving the mouth and tongue, and those below the waistinvolving the .

There are two types of HSV1 and HSV2both of which are part of a larger family of enveloped double-stranded DNA viruses: the herpesviridae family.

Generally speaking, HSV1 tends to cause infections above the waist and HSV2 tends to cause infections below the waist, but theres a lot of crossover because both viruses can cause both types of infections.

Although is most contagious when there are virus-filled lesions present, it can also spread by asymptomatic shedding which means that herpes viruses can be in saliva or secretions even when there are no signs of a cold sore or genital lesion.

So thats ultimately where the herpes virus settles infor life!

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How Can You Avoid Genital Herpes

Most women get genital herpes through sexual contactwith a person who has herpes sores. You can get thevirus without having sex. To avoid infection:

• Avoid skin-to-skin and sexual contact.
• Have safer sex:
• Reduce the number of sexual partners.
• Condoms, when used correctly, can reduce therisk of getting genital herpes. Each time you have sexuse a condom :
• Before vaginal sex
• Before oral sex

For more information, see Safer Sex.

How Do People Get Genital Herpes

Infections are transmitted through contact with HSV in herpes lesions, mucosal surfaces, genital secretions, or oral secretions. 5 HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be shed from normal-appearing oral or genital mucosa or skin. 7,8 Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during genital contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. However, receiving oral sex from a person with an oral HSV-1 infection can result in getting a genital HSV-1 infection. 4 Transmission commonly occurs from contact with an infected partner who does not have visible lesions and who may not know that he or she is infected. 7 In persons with asymptomatic HSV-2 infections, genital HSV shedding occurs on 10.2% of days, compared to 20.1% of days among those with symptomatic infections. 8

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Risk Factors And Complications

Many people are exposed to HSV-1 as children, often between the ages of 6 months and 3 years old.

There are more specific risk factors for genital herpes. You may be at a higher risk if you:

• Are assigned female at birth
• Have had many sexual partners
• Had sex for the first time at a young age
• Have had another STI

Symptoms Of Genital Herpes

Many people who have genital herpes are unaware that they have the virus because they have no symptoms, mild symptoms, or mistake the symptoms for other conditions such as jock itch, yeast infections, razor burn or allergic reactions to detergents. The infection can be diagnosed by taking a swab from the sores or through blood tests. Those with symptoms may experience a tingling sensation or itching in the genital area within a few days of having sex with an infected person. A cluster of blisters may appear and burst, leaving painful sores often lasting two to three weeks. A fever, headache and muscular pain may occur during the first attack.

After the sores from the first attack heal, the virus goes into a dormant stage, but recurrent outbreaks can occur. Some people have only one or two recurrences in a lifetime, while others have them frequently. Recurrences are typically shorter in duration and less severe than the first episode. Stress, menstrual cycle, illness, fever, surgery, exposure to sun, having sex, pregnancy, and the use of some medications can play a role in the frequency and severity of outbreaks. Herpes can continue to be transmitted to others, even between recurrences when the infected person has no symptoms.

Womens symptoms can include:

• tender lumps in the groin

Mens symptoms can include:

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Is There A Cure Or Treatment For Herpes

There is no cure for herpes. Antiviral medications can, however, prevent or shorten outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication.11 In addition, daily suppressive therapy for herpes can reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners.11

There is currently no commercially available vaccine that is protective against genital herpes infection. Candidate vaccines are in clinical trials.

Immune System Management By Herpesviruses

Herpesviruses evade immune destruction using a number of strategies. These include infection of tissues with limited accessibility to immune mediators particularly for -herpesviruses, establishment of latency that allows minimal immune recognition and numerous active immunomodulatory procedures intrinsic to herpesviruses. Many excellent reviews have discussed immune evasive or immune managemental properties of different herpesviruses . Table 1 summarizes many such properties. We briefly discuss how herpesviruses can manage the immune system to ensure their persistence.

Table 1. Immune management strategies used by herpesviruses.

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What Is Herpes Simplex

Herpes is caused by an infection known as herpes simplex virus . The two most common of HSV are HSV-1 and HSV-2. About 1 in 2 Americans ages 14-49 are infected with HSV-1, and approximately 1 in 8 of the same age range are infected with HSV-2.

HSV-1 historically is transmitted during childhood, Dr. Gelow said. HSV-2 historically is transmitted sexually and can increase the risk of HIV infection by two-to four-fold as it provides direct contact with blood.

How Does Genital Herpes Affect Pregnancy

Genital herpes doesnt affect fertility or your ability to conceive. Pregnant women with a diagnosis of herpes genitalis are recommended to start a daily antiviral at 36 weeks of pregnancy to prevent outbreaks during time of delivery. If you have an active infection at the time of childbirth, you can pass the herpes virus to your baby. Neonatal herpes puts a baby at risk for blindness, brain damage, skin infections and death. Your healthcare provider will perform a cesarean section to lower this risk.

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Difference Between Igm Vs Igg Herpes Testing

There are some older tests out there that dont accurately distinguish type HSV 1 from type 2 in terms of blood tests. So those people who are getting tested their physicians and clinics who are ordering those tests need to be sure that they are requesting a type specific test. The other thing to bring into your notice is about antibody testing. Many labs automatically offer, whats called IgM testing. as opposed to in any club in type G or IgG testing. In theory IgM becomes positive sooner than IgG. So an IgM test for some infections can help detect early, thus increasing the chances of test to be false positive. As opposed to late infection the problem is that often it doesnt work that well with herpes. The IgM testing often doesnt proceed IgM antibody. But the test also has a lot of false positive results. The labs offer these tests because quite frankly, they are very cheap, to do they have a high profit margin and there is just an assumption that its a good thing to do.

Not all docs knowing the difference, they just order what the lab shows on its panel and they check off the box. The advice is to and this is going to be in the upcoming revision of the CDCs STD management guidelines that are going to be released soon. That IgM testing for HSV has no role whatsoever, doctors ordering tests, please do not request the IgM test patients who are perhaps going to an online site and arranging your own ages retesting ignore the IgM.

Lesions Around The Eye

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.

The herpes virus can cause a rash anywhere on the skinnot just in the mouth or genital area.

This picture shows herpetic keratitis, a herpes infection that involves the cornea, or the outside covering of the eye. Note the blisters around the eyelid and ulcerations on the eyelid.

Symptoms of herpetic keratitis may include:

• Watery discharge

Herpes around the eye is serious. Dont wait to see an ophthalmologist for evaluation and treatment. If left untreated, herpetic keratitis can cause scarring of the cornea.

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Ruling Out Conditions That Resemble Oral Herpes

Canker Sores

Simple canker sores are often confused with the cold sores of HSV-1. Canker sores frequently crop up singly or in groups on the inside of the mouth, or on or underneath the tongue. Their cause is unknown, and they are common in perfectly healthy people. They are usually white or grayish crater-like ulcers with a sharp edge and a red rim. They usually heal within 2 weeks without treatment.

This aphthous ulcer is located in front of and just below the bottom teeth.

Thrush

Oral candidiasis is a yeast infection that causes a whitish overgrowth in the mouth. It is most common in infants, but can appear in people of all ages, particularly people taking antibiotics or those with impaired immune systems.

Other conditions that may be confused with oral herpes include herpangina , sore throat caused by strep or other bacteria, and infectious mononucleosis.

It Will Still Take A Long Time Before These Experiments Lead To The First Human Trials Of Gene Therapy To Cure Herpes Jerome Estimates That Will Be At Least Three Years Away

The team attained its first promising results years ago using a single type of meganuclease that proved effective in cutting the herpes virus DNA, but the results were short-lived. The virus could rely on the infected cellsâ own DNA-repair programs â which donât distinguish between viral genes from their own â to fix the break most of the time.

But over time, the researchers found that they could eliminate up to 90% of the latent virus by using a mix of two or three different meganucleases. It is simply harder to repair two breaks than one. With more tinkering, the results continued to improve.

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