KONTAN.CO.ID – Jakarta. Herpes is an infectious disease caused by a viral infection. Herpes itself is associated with a skin disease that affects quite a lot of people in the world.
As the name implies, herpes is caused by a virus called herpes or HSV. In the world, there are actually several variants of herpes, namely HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Herpes disease appears in various parts of the body, but most commonly occurs in the mouth area due to HSV-1 virus, and genitals due to HSV-2 virus infection.
Causes of herpes
The herpes virus is a contagious virus that can be passed from person to person through direct contact. Children will often catch HSV-1 from initial contact with an adult who was previously infected with herpes.
Anyone can get HSV, regardless of age as long as that person has frequent physical contact with those who are infected. In addition, the spread of herpes is genital contact such as sexual intercourse, including oral sex. In the case of sexually transmitted HSV, people are more at risk when they have unprotected sex.
Some of those who are susceptible to herpes are:
- Having multiple sex partners
- Weak immune system like because of HIV
- Suffering from a sexually transmitted infection
- Babies born to pregnant women who carry herpes
- Live together and share tools such as soap, towels, and so on.
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Symptoms of herpes
It is important to understand that a person may or may not have herpes so as to minimize the risk of transmitting it to others. Some of the symptoms associated with this virus include:
- Blisters (in the mouth or on the genitals)
- Pain when urinating (genital herpes)
- Itchy skin
However, often people with herpes also experience symptoms similar to the flu. These symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Lack of appetite
- HSV can also spread to the eyes, causing a condition called herpes keratitis. This can cause symptoms such as eye pain and discharge.
This type of virus is generally diagnosed by physical examination. The doctor may examine the body to look directly at the wound and ask for some symptoms.
If physical symptoms are difficult to pinpoint, your doctor may also order an HSV test. This is known as a herpes culture. During this test, the doctor will take a sample of fluid from the wound and send it to a laboratory for testing.
Blood tests for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 can also help diagnose this infection. This is very helpful if the patient has no signs of injury.
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Herpes medicine
There is currently no definite cure for this virus. Treatment focuses on relieving the wound and limiting the outbreak from spreading. But often, when the sores on the skin heal, herpes will disappear by itself.
Some of the herpes drugs that doctors often recommend are as follows:
- Acyclovir
- Famsiclovir
- Valaciclovir
These drugs can help people with infections reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others. Medications also help reduce the intensity and frequency of the spread of herpes.
The drug can be taken orally (pills), or it can be applied as a cream. For severe infections, these drugs can also be given by injection.
Some people may experience the common cold sore. Others will only have one outbreak after they catch the virus, and then the virus can become dormant.
Even if the virus is inactive, certain stimuli can make herpes relapse, such as:
- Menstrual period
- Fever or pain
- Sun exposure or sunburn
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