Term Paper on Genital Herpes: A Common, Distressing STI Affecting Reproduction and Child Health

Introduction

Genital Herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) globally and distressing quality of life, directly affecting reproduction and child health through infertility ("World Health Organization 2016"). Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex (Stanberry 2009). In most cases, many people possess the virus without even being aware because to some people; the symptoms are mild while others are very painful. Therefore, timely recognition and prompt therapy after that is critical. This paper will seek to discuss the causes of genital herpes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment without forgetting prevention.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Causes of Genital Herpes

The causal agent of Genital Herpes is a virus commonly known as Herpes simplex virus (Stanberry 2009). The simplex virus mainly constitutes of Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Thus the one that causes the genital Herpes is simplex virus type 2 while simplex virus type 1 is commonly known for causing infections such as severe lesions, fever blisters. The Herpes simplex virus is passed from one person to another through sexual intercourse (Stanberry 2009). Risk of transmission is very high, and therefore, patients should be advised to discontinue from sex. While these transmissions may occur in the absence of lesion recurrence, the efficiency of condoms to completely prevent transmission of the simplex virus remains formally unassessed (Patel et al., 2017). Plentiful studies in the US have evidenced that women have higher HSV-2 seroprevalence compared to men and therefore, this indicates that men have asymptomatic HSV-2 infections than women and this makes them easy transmitters of the virus as compared to women (Sauerbrei 2016). Thus it is easy for a woman to get the virus from the man than vice versa.

Signs and Symptoms of Genital Herpes

With some people suffering from Genital Herpes, they can barely notice the signs and symptoms of simplex virus infection. On the other hand, one can see the symptoms a week later, months or even years after the day of disease (World Health Organization 2016). The first time one gets infected with Genital Herpes. Symptoms like flu with fever, headache, and sore muscles are evident. Also, one can get buttock pains and pain in the genitals while urinating ("Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," 2016). Frequency of the symptoms in the infected patients depends on the type of simplex virus involved. Therefore subsequent recurrence frequency is more in a patient suffering from HSV-2 virus as compared to HSV-1(Patel et al. 2017).

One of the most common evident symptoms is blisters. They tend towards being very severe and eventually break into sores that may take weeks to heal. Also, pain in the inflammatory engorgement of the vulva in ladies that are accompanied by dysuria is evident (Sauerbrei 2016). Also, Sauerbrei (2016) confirms that signs of the lesions of the woman cervix in most cases are conjoint in nonexistence of the symptoms while in men, the urethral indications are linked to severe micturition hitches.

Diagnosis of Genital Herpes

Although Genital Herpes can be recognized clinically through observing the presence of atypical lesions associated with chronic cases, it is highly recommended that depending on clinical diagnosis alone should be eluded since features in patients are highly variable hence may end up being confused with other genital infections (Patel et al., 2017).

Laboratory diagnosis is conducted to patients with suspected Genital Herpes infection. Swabs are taken from the base of the lesions while HSV typing into HSV-2 and HSV-1 should be done to all patients in stage one (Patel et al. 2017). First episode genital herpes that includes distinguishing primary and established infections needs counseling. Pregnant women with these symptoms should be tested consistently if a history of herpes is in the partner (Patel et al., 2017).

Treatment of Genital Herpes

It is worth noting that the cure for Genital Herpes is meant to ease the pain and thwart the simplex virus from reproducing. According to the World Health Organization (2016), treatments recommendation should cut across adults, people infected with HIV, adolescents, transgender persons, pregnant women, and sex workers. Also, in the administration of the treatment, one should be examined if he has primary herpes or recurrent herpes (Sauerbrei 2016). i.e., Patients with frequent recurrences and Spartan symptoms that may cause suffering should be put under suppressive therapy rather than episodic therapy (World Health Organization 2016). This way, the right form of treatment is delivered at the right time.

In cases of First-episode genital herpes, therapy is recommended the earliest possible. While still at it, oral antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir should be administered to patients that present within the first weeks while new lesions are still forming since they diminish the rigorousness and duration of the episode (Patel et al. 2017). But when the patient is unable to swallow oral drugs either for the reason of vomiting, topical agents are used although in some cases, they may cause resistance (Patel et al. 2017).

Counseling is another aspect of the treatment process that is key. Through this, the doctors are able, to be frank about transmission risks. The risk involved during pregnancy should be brought to light during patient counseling visits. Management of complications should be essential, which might require patient hospitalization for urinary retention, to tame adverse social conditions r in cases where the patients have severe symptoms. This is also meant to keep a close look at the patient to avoid superinfection of lesions, although the superinfection seldom happens (Patel et al. 2017). Therefore, if hospitalization can tame the above, then it is recommended.

Prevention of Genital Herpes

Use of condom every time one is having sexual intercourse reduces the risk of getting the infection or transmitting it. Though condom does not entirely protect one against genital herpes because the virus can be passed through the open areas. Therefore to reduce the risk, people should be trained on the proper usage of the condom.

Oral sex should also be discouraged. In cases where the partner doing oral sex is suffering from other types of herpes such as the mouth or cold herpes, the other partner will automatically get infected with the simplex virus without necessarily having penetrative sex (Stanberry 2009). Ones should also avoid kissing a partner when they have a cold sore around the mouth. This act prevents transmission of the simplex virus.

Patients having Herpes outbreaks are always advised to altogether avoid sex (Sauerbrei 2016). Even with a condom since the places that the condom is not able to cover will be contracted with the virus. Also, the patients should avoid touching the sores with hands as this may slowly and unknowingly spread the virus to other body parts or the partner.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that with the popularity of Herpes Genitals worldwide, more research should be done to come up with management measures that will adequately treat the infection. More so, people should strictly follow the preventive measures to avoid contracting the disease while those who are already infected have a responsibility to ensure they follow medication and also and also follow doctors counseling and recommendation to prevent spreading the infection to the people close. Awareness of causes, signs, and symptoms, and prevention should be emphasized.

References

Stanberry, L. R., (2009). Understanding Herpes: Revised Second Edition. Univ. Press of Mississippi. Retrieved From https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=E L9FhfjglC&printsec=fontcover&dq=genital+hepes=pdf&hl=en&sa=X&ved=OahUKEwjhkvzOvaziAhUNxiukhFLYB=onepage&q&f=false

Patel, R., Kennedy, O. J., Clarke, E., Geretti, A., Nilsen, A., Lautenschlager, S., ... & Moi, H. (2017). 2017 European Guidelines For The Management of Genital Herpes. International Journal of STD &

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Genital Herpes-CDC Fact Sheet. Accessed September 19. Retrieved From https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/Genital-herpes-sept-2017.pdf

Sauerbrei, A., (2016). Herpes Genitalis: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 76(12), 1310-1317.AIDS, 28(14), 1366-1379.

Bibliography

Satterwhite, C. L., Torrone, E., Meites, E., Dunne, E. F., Mahajan, R., Ocfemia, M. C. B., ... & Weinstock, H. (2013). Sexually Transmitted Infections Among US Women and Men: Prevalence and Incidence Estimates, 2008. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 40(3), 187-193.

Holmes, K. K., Levine, R., & Weaver, M. (2004). Effectiveness of Condoms in Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections. Bulletin of The World Health Organization, 82, 454-461.

Corey, L., & Spear, P. G., (1986). Infections With Herpes Simplex Viruses. New England Journal of Medicine, 314(11), 686-691.

Cook, C. H., Martin, L. C., Yen char, J. K., Lahm, M. C., McGuinness, B., Davies, E. A., & Ferguson, R. M. (2003). Occult Herpes Family Viral Infections are Endemic in Critically Ill Surgical Patients. Critical Care Medicine, 31(7), 1923-1929.