Genital herpes

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Female reproductive anatomy

Joining a support group in which members share common experiences and problems can help the stress associated with this illness. See herpes genital - support group.

Once infected, the virus stays in the body for the rest of the individual's life. Some never have another episode, and some have frequent recurrences. In most recurrences, no obvious trigger is identified. Many people, however, find that attacks of genital herpes occur in conjunction with the following conditions:

• general illness (from mild illnesses to serious conditions, such as operations, heart attacks, pneumonia and so on)
• fatigue
• physical or emotional stress
• immunosuppression, due to AIDS or such medication as chemotherapy or steroids
• trauma to the affected area, including sexual activity
• menstruation

In individuals with normal immune systems, genital herpes remains a localized and bothersome infection, but seldom a life-threatening infection.

• recurrent disease (common)
• encephalitis (rare)
• spread of the virus to other organs of the body in immunosuppressed people
• transverse myelopathy (damage that extends across the spinal cord)
• incontinence

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have any symptoms suggestive of genital herpes, or if fever, headache, vomiting, or widespread symptoms develop during (or after) an outbreak of herpes.

Review Date: 02/13/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.