Monday, April 9, 2012

What is Herpes About?

By Gobingo Venturina


Most of the people that are infected with herpes are normally infected with a particular strain of it, known as the herpes simplex virus one. More commonly known as the cold sore. Symptoms are very mild and people do not notice this. This is advantageous to an infected person because it does not disrupt their lifestyle. However, there is a greater risk of unwittingly infecting another person.

Herpes symptoms occur in what is known as outbreaks. The frequency of outbreaks can vary between different people. For some people it may take months or years before the first outbreak. For some people, it can take only days. People experience flu-like symptoms during their first outbreak. They have fever and pain in the back and the leg. These only happen during the first outbreak of an infection of the herpes simplex virus 2. Afterwards, herpes outbreaks consist mostly of blisters that can cause some discomfort, scab and then later heal and disappear. Later outbreaks are less uncomfortable compared to the first one.

Recurrent attacks are caused by the same infection. It is not caused by a reinfection of the virus. Over time, the frequency of the outbreaks lessens and some people experience no outbreaks at all. The HSV2 virus is spread when there is contact with the cold sore or a skin that is infected with the virus. Transmission can occur even when there are no symptoms present.

Getting tested for herpes can involve taking a swab from an infected area of the body. When an outbreak occurs, a swab sample is drawn over the blister and tested. This can determine the type of infection, whether it is an HSV-1 or HSV-2. The other type of test is a blood test. This has an advantage over the swab test because it's possible to diagnose an infection even when there are no outbreaks. However, you can't tell which body part is infected. It's good to ask your doctor what kind of test is suitable for you.

There is no sure fire way to completely get rid of the herpes virus. It stays in the body forever. However, there are many ways to deal with the symptoms during an outbreak. For example, blisters can be dried out by using some iodine paint and salt baths can be used at easing the discomfort during an outbreak.

Antivirals are also prescribed to people with herpes. They work to ease the symptoms of an infection especially during an outbreak. They can also be used on an ongoing basis to prevent the recurrence of outbreaks.




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