HERPES

Herpes

Herpes

Outline

This paper is divided into the following sections:



Introduction

Causative organism

Signs and symptoms

Transmission

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Introduction

Herpes is an infection of the nerve cells. Herpes infects the pelvic region of the spinal cord? and oral herpes infects nerve ganglia at the brain base. Herpes is an infection that is caused by one of two closely related viruses? herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The causative organism is varicella zoster? a common? filtrable virus. HSV-1 is the causative organism in 95% of the herpetic infections. There is a mortality rate of 50% to 70% in HSV encephalitis. In adults it is usually a result of reactivation of a latent HSV-1 infection in the trigeminal ganglion which spread along the branches of the trigeminal nerve that innervate the meninges of the anterior and middle cranial fossae. Pontine infection may occur due to retrograde transmission along the cisternal component of the trigeminal nerve. In children? HSV-1 is usually post-natal whereas HSV-2 is seen in neonates and congenital afflictions.

Signs and Symptoms

The most ordinary form of herpes is oral herpes and usually shows up on the lips or inside of the mouth as cold sores or fever blisters. Cold sores are frequent in young children who acquire them from being bare to active cold sores of adults and other children. This form of herpes is annoying but harmless in both children and adult? but is however very harmful to a newborn. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish whether or not someone has been exposed to the other form of herpes? genital herpes.

This is not always the case though and when symptoms do occur they are often seen as a cluster of blister sores? usually on the vagina? vulva? cervix? penis? or anus. For genital herpes? symptoms may last several weeks? go away but only to return again weeks? months? or even years later? Symptoms may also include pain in the infected area? itching? and burning feeling if urine flows over sores? and possibly an inability to urinate if severely swollen from many sores. Very harsh outbreaks may have symptoms that include swollen and tender lymph glands in the groin? throat? or under the arms? and even flu-like feelings such as fever? chills? headache? and a general run down feeling.

Transmission

The spread of herpes may be credited to a variety of activities ranging from touching and kissing to more intimate activities such as vaginal? anal? or oral intercourse. The time when the disease is most likely to be spread is when the sores? such as cold sores or fever blisters? are open and weeping? during this time the virus may be spread from one partner to another or from one part of the body to another. Although the possibility of getting genital herpes from an infected partner whom has no symptoms are only about 10 out of every hundred or 10 percent2. It is unlikely; however? that contact with toilet seats? moist towels or similar objects spread ...