Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a virus called the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Genital herpes causes painful blisters and sores on and around the genitals. It can also sometimes cause problems if first detected very early or very late in pregnancy. Some medications can treat flare-ups, minimize symptoms, and reduce recurrences. Genital herpes is very contagious. Carriers can transmit the disease without any symptoms of an active infection. Signs of genital herpes develop 3-7 days after exposure to an infected person. Most people with genital herpes have recurrent outbreaks.
· What are the symptoms of genital herpes? The first symptoms and signs of genital herpes tend to develop within 3 to 7 days of skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. This 3 to 7-day period is called the incubation period. In men, genital herpes sores (lesions) often appear on or around the penis. In women, lesions are visible outside the vagina, but they usually occur inside the vagina, where they can cause discomfort or vaginal discharge and may not be visible except during a physical exam. Sores or blisters can also be found anywhere around the genitals (perineum) and in and around the anus. Some people develop other signs of a genital herpes infection, especially in the early stages, including fever, muscle pain, headache (which can be severe), vaginal discharge or painful urination, and swollen and painful lymph nodes in the groin
· Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
Valacyclovir comes in tablet form and is taken orally. This is a prescription antiviral medication that can treat symptoms and prevent outbreaks of oral and genital herpes. Based on the overall HSV-2 infection rate we observed and the 8% risk reduction with valacyclovir, we expected to treat 38 people with recurrent genital herpes for one year to prevent a case of HSV-2 infection in a susceptible partner. For most initial herpes outbreaks and recurrent cases of herpes, valacyclovir works very quickly and provides relief in as little as two to three days. In general, the sooner you take valacyclovir after you notice your symptoms, the sooner the medication will go into remission. People with frequent flare-ups can take valacyclovir daily as part of their suppressive therapy. It helps prevent future infections and reduces the risk of transmission to sexual partners.
· Diagnose
Initial treatment When you are first diagnosed with herpes and have symptoms of an active infection, a short 7-10 day course of antivirals are usually prescribed. This can help relieve your symptoms and keep them from getting worse. If your symptoms do not improve during this time, you can continue antiretroviral therapy for a longer time.
Intermittent treatment when your symptoms have disappeared after the first treatment, continue with intermittent treatment. This is when you always have medicine on hand to treat a flare-up.
Suppressive treatment Taking antiretroviral drugs daily is a type of suppressive treatment. This is a precaution, as taking a daily herpes medicine can significantly reduce the number of outbreaks. The daily medication also reduces the risk of transmission. Once-daily suppressive therapy with valacyclovir significantly reduces the transmission of HSV-2 or genital herpes between couples.
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