Herpes can only be passed through direct skin-to-skin contact with the infected area such as kissing, oral sex, genital-to-genital rubbing, vaginal, and anal sex. Herpes causes blisters on the lips and around the mouth that can last up to ten days. Lipsticks and makeup brushes that touch these parts of the face can then spread the infection to other people.
Fortunately, herpes is a fragile virus and typically only survives outside the body for ten seconds. Antivirals, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir are the most effective medications available for people infected with HSV. These can help to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms, but cannot cure the infection.
Washing clothes in the same washing machine , even when a person has a herpes recurrence, will not pass on the virus. If you have genital herpes, you may need to take anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes when you deliver.
At the time of delivery, your healthcare provider should carefully examine you for herpes sores. If you have herpes, you should talk to your sex partner s about their risk. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners. You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your health, sex life, and relationships.
While herpes is not curable, it is important to know that it is manageable with medicine. Daily suppressive therapy i. Talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns and treatment options. A genital herpes diagnosis may affect how you will feel about current or future sexual relationships. Knowing how to talk to sexual partners about STDs external icon is important. Herpes infection can cause sores or breaks in the skin or lining of the mouth, vagina, and rectum.
This provides a way for HIV to enter the body. Even without visible sores, herpes increases the number of immune cells in the lining of the genitals.
HIV targets immune cells for entry into the body. Box Rockville, MD E-mail: npin-info cdc. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Genital Herpes. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. People who are sexually active can get genital herpes, a common sexually transmitted disease STD.
What is genital herpes? A classic herpes outbreak usually involves one or more blisters that start as small red bumps. They may resemble a group of pimples or ingrown hairs. They then progress to fluid-filled blisters before rupturing and oozing fluid that crusts over. Herpes sores usually present around the mouth or genital area.
Oral herpes appears as cold sores on the lips or around the mouth. The sores may be painful and itchy. Genital herpes often presents as a painful rash around the genital area or anus. It may result in difficulty urinating, especially in women.
Touching herpes sores can transfer the virus to your fingers and then any other body part that you touch. If you accidentally touch an open herpes sore, wash your hands right away to prevent spreading it to other areas of your body.
It is also possible to experience herpes gladiatorum , a skin infection that can appear anywhere on the body and is spread by skin-to-skin contact. Herpes gladiatorum, also known as mat herpes, is commonly found in athletes, such as wrestlers who experience skin-to-skin contact in their sport.
It is also commonly found in military service members who undergo hand-to-hand combat training. A herpes rash on the body usually begins as a painful, itchy patch of skin. It is often mistaken for a bacterial infection and treated with antibiotics, which do not affect the herpes virus. It then progresses to a typical outbreak, with painful blisters that rupture and crust over. Painful blisters are the classic sign of a herpes infection. They may be preceded by sensations of burning, itching, numbness, or tingling.
In addition to a rash, herpes can also cause:. The first herpes outbreak is usually the longest and most severe one you will experience. While the virus that causes herpes will always live in your body, the number and duration of your outbreaks should decrease over time. This is because your body makes antibodies to fight the virus over time. Many people experience only one herpes outbreak in their lifetime, while others may have several. A herpes outbreak can occur at any time, and stress is likely to cause one.
Stressors may include emotional stress, illness, fever, trauma, surgery, sun exposure, and menstrual periods. During an initial outbreak, you may have flu-like signs and symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes in your groin, headache, muscle aches and fever. Sores appear where the infection entered your body. You can spread the infection by touching a sore and then rubbing or scratching another area of your body, including your eyes. Men and women can develop sores on the: Buttocks and thighs Anus Mouth Urethra the tube that allows urine to drain from the bladder to the outside Women can also develop sores in or on the: Vaginal area External genitals Cervix Men can also develop sores in or on the:.
Genital herpes is different for each person. The signs and symptoms may recur, off and on, for years. Some people experience numerous episodes each year. For many people, however, the outbreaks are less frequent as time passes. However, recurrences are generally less painful than the original outbreak, and sores generally heal more quickly.
If you suspect you have genital herpes — or any other sexually transmitted infection — see your doctor. Because the virus dies quickly outside of the body, it's nearly impossible to get the infection through contact with toilets, towels or other objects used by an infected person.
The suggestions for preventing genital herpes are the same as those for preventing other sexually transmitted infections: Abstain from sexual activity or limit sexual contact to only one person who is infection-free. Short of that, you can:. If you're pregnant and know you have genital herpes, tell your doctor.
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