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What is Herpes?
Any of several viral diseases causing the eruption of small blisterlike vesicles on the skin or mucous membranes.
The herpes virus can produce cold sores in the mouth region, or may cause a sexually transmitted disease with painful sores appearing on the genitals, and is also the cause of Chicken pox.
Once infected, the virus remains dormant and may return at a later stage.
There are eight herpes viruses currently known to infect humans:
- Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), produses cold sores or fever blisters;
- HSV-2, commonly associated with genital herpes;
- Varicella zoster virus, responsible for chickenpox and shingles;
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV), associated with retinitis and pneumonia;
- Epstein-Barr virus, causes infectious mononucleosis;
- Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV 6), results in childhood roseola;
- HHV 7, not associated with any disease;
- HHV 8, produces Kaposi's sarcoma.
What causes Herpes?
Herpes is transmitted by direct skin contact, unlike other viruses which may be contracted via the air. Infection normally occurs by direct contact with sores and sometimes by contact with the oral and genital areas of chronically infected people in between episodes of sores.
What are the symptoms?
The first oral infection with HSV usually causes sores inside the mouth (herpetic gingivostomatitis). In addition, the person generally feels sick and has fever, headache, and body aches. The mouth sores last 10 to 14 days and are often very severe, making eating and drinking extremely uncomfortable. In some first oral infections, swollen gums are the only symptom; occasionally, no symptoms develop. Herpetic gingivostomatitis most commonly develops in children.
Recurrences of oral HSV infection produce what are called "cold sores", which typically develop on the lips. Usually, fluid-filled blisters form and break open, leaving sores. The sores quickly form into a scab. After a week, the scab falls off and the episode ends. Sometimes small clusters of herpes sores develop on the gums or the roof of the mouth; these sores also last about a week and then go away.
The first genital HSV infection can be severe and prolonged, with multiple painful blisters in the genital area. Common symptoms include fever and a general feeling of illness, and some people have burning during urination. Occasionally, an infected person may have no symptoms. In recurring attacks of genital herpes painful blisters appear on the skin or mucous membranes of the genitals that quickly break open, leaving sores. Blisters also may appear on the thighs, buttocks, or around the anus. In women, genital blisters may develop on the vulva, in which case they are usually obvious and very painful. Internal blisters may develop in the vagina or on the cervix; they are less painful and are not visible. A typical episode of recurring genital herpes lasts a week.
How is Herpes treated?
No current antiviral treatments can eradicate HSV infection. However, most treatments may relieve the discomfort of a recurring outbreak slightly and shorten its duration by a day or two. In the case of Lazolex, this duration has been significantly reduced with some patients responding to treatment after just two days. All treatments are most effective if started early, preferably at the first sign of tingling or discomfort, before blisters appear.
Herpes Facts
The herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2), which can cause both genital and facial herpes, are estimated to affect more than 50% of the world’s population and in some regions of the world, as many as 8 in 10 individuals are infected with one or both of the viruses.
Approximately 20% of people experience frequent outbreaks – more than 10 episodes per year
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