What is herpes (herpes disease)?
Herpes Simplex or Herpes disease is an infectious disease consisting of water-filled sacs observed on the skin and mucous membranes caused by the virus called Herpes Simplex Virus. There are eight types of Herpes Simplex virus, three of which are the most common clinically.
Of these three types, HSV 1 is more common in the mouth, nose and surroundings, while HSV 2 is located in the genital area. In the third form, it is the type that settles at the end, causing the disease called shingles. Unlike others, this type is not in the form of water-filled sacs, but is a type that causes sharper pain than others, which is felt in case of redness and needle prickling. In the form of generation surely price an area and first of all the pains begin. Then, redness begins in the areas where the pain is felt, and a rash that covers a limited and reasonable area occurs. It settles in the area of the skin that fits the area where the virus takes hold. After a period of time, first of all the pains, then the rash smoothes out without leaving a trace.
Symptoms and locations of Herpes Simplex ?
HSV 1 creates water-filled blisters on the face, lips, nose and mouth. These blisters open in a very short time and become ulcerated and tend to merge with other small ulcers nearby. Subsequently, these watered wounds crust over. The shells are yellow and white in color. Then the crusts themselves soften and fall off. At first it leaves a brown stain in places. It then turns into a brown mark. HSV 2 price the genital area. It may involve the groin, the outer lips of the vagina in women, the inner part, the region between the anus and the vagina, the cervix, the part of the penis especially close to the body in men, rarely the glans and testicles, and the hips.
How is Herpes Herpes Transmitted?
Herpes virus is transmitted by contact. Viruses are acquired in line with kissing, sexual intercourse, contact with the person carrying the virus, just like using the towel. Viruses enter the body through cracks in the skin and/or mucous membranes. They hold the border cells and move along the fibers of these borders. They settle in the main centers of the fibers called ganglion. Subsequently, they begin to form lesions on the skin or mucous membranes of that area. Viruses do not die where they settle. Once taken, they may cause frequent lesions/herpes on the skin where they are located in the border roots due to factors such as tension and immune changes. Treatments can be carried out in order to prevent or at least reduce the formation of diseases, not the destruction of viruses.
What should be considered especially for genital herpes?
In general, both types can be taken when infected with Herpes Simplex virus. In addition, it should not be forgotten that the virus is acquired by sexual contact, especially in genital herpes called HSV 2, and other diseases that can be transmitted by sexual contact should also be considered. Because, another team virus diseases, which can be transmitted as easily as HSV 2 virus and have a dangerous course, may have been taken from the individual. Such as jaundice, AIDS, syphilis…. For this reason, it will be true to screen for other sexually transmitted diseases in individuals with HSV 2 with tests.
Is herpes infection common?
Herpes Simplex infection is difficult to detect in individuals to perform a very real prevalence screening. One of the leading causes of this difficulty is that the infection remains as a carrier after the disease is acquired, without causing symptoms. More than half (~65%) of individuals with the disease do not know they have the disease. In addition, even if the disease occurs in individuals who have been in contact with HSV 2, it is also a matter of speech that they hide their illness for reasons such as anxiety and embarrassment. For this reason, the application about the disease is actually much less than the number of individuals carrying the virus. HSV infection is also seen at different rates in the middle of the communities. This rate, which is around 20% in the USA, is around 35% in Sweden and 40% in Brazil. Unfortunately, there is no scientific statistics in our country. However, the claimed rate is around 30%.
Risk factors for contracting HSV-2 infection:
• Increased number of sexual partners
• Age-progression- Shingles
• Low income and education level
• Black or Hispanic ethnicity
• Being female
• Male homosexual activity
• HIV infection
How does herpes occur and progress?
Shortly after the virus is taken (in the range of 2 to 12 days), water-filled sacs and itchy lesions begin to form. A measure is spread according to the strength of the patient’s immune status. More than half of the individuals who come into contact with the virus do not have any complaints. The patient has taken the virus, which is the cause of the disease, into his body and has settled in the border system. It transmits the virus to individuals with whom it has sexual intercourse. In a random situation where the immune system is suppressed, symptoms of the disease will appear. Sometimes the patient does not experience this process at all. But the virus carrier continues. Sometimes they also experience at least four other attacks per year.
In which situations does Herpes-Herpes manifest itself?
In case of insufficient nutrition, when too much vitamin A is taken, too much alcohol consumption, during periods of heavy tension, flu etc. In some diseases that tire the immune system, such as menstrual periods, frequent sexual intercourse, and personal hygiene disorders, the disease begins to recur. Although the symptoms are most severe when you get the first infection, they can also be exacerbated at a random relapse, as the immune system plays a major role here. Symptoms of the disease can last up to 20 days, and women may experience symptoms such as discharge and painful sexual intercourse due to wounds in the cervix during this period.
What can be done in cases such as contact with herpes during pregnancy or the recurrence of the disease in this period?
Although it is argued that if the disease is experienced in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is argued that it will cause very significant damage to the fetus, there is no scientific information on this subject. In addition, it may not be possible to detect these damages with ultrasound. For this reason, all pregnant women should be screened in the first cycle of pregnancy to see if this infection has been passed. Termination of pregnancy may be considered in cases where the virus is newly acquired and active infection is passed. There is no danger to the fetus in individuals who have previously received the disease and have been immunized. In the event that these pregnant women experience recurrence of the disease during their pregnancy, no treatment is applied, only baseline approaches are adopted. In pregnant women who have genital herpes close to birth, if the birth begins while the lesions are present, cesarean section should be preferred in these pregnant women to prevent the baby from contacting the virus. In addition, great care should be taken to minimize the baby’s contact with this virus after birth.
How is Herpes Diagnosed?
Complaint,
Clinical findings (watery, quickly crusting itching or inflamed water-filled vesicles..),
Diagnosis can be made with laboratory findings.
In the middle of laboratory tests, there are culture studies to be done with a wound swab. Presence of antibodies against HSV Type1 and Type2 in cytological diagnosis and syphilis, fixed drug allergies, trauma, contact allergies should be considered in PCR differential diagnosis.
Is it possible to treat herpes, what can be done?
A complete cure for Herpes Virus may not be possible. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to take care not to get the virus. Avoiding contact with strangers, using condoms for sexual intercourse, common towel, etc. use should be avoided. We should definitely inform the individual we think we have the virus about this situation and draw his attention to the possibility of the disease. In case of contracting the disease or to prevent its recurrence, we should strengthen the immune system and take care to stay away from situations such as too much alcohol, too much fatigue, malnutrition, and tension. One of the biggest difficulties of disease lesions is that they can easily become infected again with bacteria and become deeper, wider and more scarring ulcers. For this reason, we should stay away from hand contact as much as possible, prefer paper towels during the period of active lesions and avoid contact. In the presence of bacteria, we should use antibiotics under medical supervision. All wounds in the genital area are valuable. The most problematic one here is the possibility of mistaking other diseases for herpes. For this reason, the wound observed in each genital area should definitely be examined by a physician. In addition, another valuable issue is the possibility of getting other sexually transmitted diseases in the presence of herpes infection.
