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by: John
Trout
To
most people the word
"herpes" conjures up an
image of genital herpes, the
incurable virus that is
transmitted through sexual contact
and causes blisters on the
genitals. However herpes is in
fact a family of viruses that is
extremely widespread and can cause
a number of conditions affecting
the skin, mouth, eyes, brain or,
in rare cases, the whole body.
Some estimates suggest that as
many as 1 in 6 people may carry
some form of the herpes virus in
their body, either active or
inactive.
Forms of the herpes virus include
herpes simplex type 1 (cold
sores), herpes simplex type 2
(genital herpes), varicella-zoster
virus (chickenpox),
cytomegalovirus (mild hepatitis),
Epstein-Barr virus (mononucleosis)
and herpes-zoster (shingles). All
of these conditions are caused by
viruses in the herpes family.
Two similar conditions, herpes
gestationis and dermatitis
herpetiformis, both produce
herpes-like blisters on the skin
but are not related to or caused
by any of the various herpes
viruses.
The many diseases that are caused
by the herpes virus may differ
widely from one another, but they
all share
a few common traits:
- They
are generally very contagious.
- The
viruses can survive in latent
form for long periods of time
after the initial infection.
- They
are not curable. (However,
there are effective treatments
that can render the virus
dormant, even in genital
herpes)
Estimates
suggest that nearly 30 million
Americans are infected with herpes
simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and despite
many studies over many years there
has been little success in
developing either a cure or an
effective vaccine.
Many of the viruses in the herpes
family do not recur after the
initial disease outbreak, such as
chicken pox for example. However
all herpes viruses, when not
active, remain dormant in your
body, hidden in nerve tissues and
escaping detection by the immune
system.
It is unsure exactly how and why a
latent herpes virus will suddenly
trigger into an active infection,
however it is known that certain
stresses to the immune system
appear to bring on an outbreak.
These stresses that may lead to
outbreaks include illness, injury,
emotional stress, poor diet, over
exposure to sunlight, and even
menstruation.
A strong immune system seems to
lessen recurrence of outbreaks,
though outbreaks may continue
throughout life. Studies show that
chickenpox and shingles have a
recurrence of nearly zero while
HSV-1 has a recurrence rate of 14
percent and herpes simplex type 2
(HSV-2) has a recurrence rate of
60 percent.
It is HSV-2 that most commonly
causes genital infections, and
HSV-1 that most commonly causes
infections of the lips; however
either viruses can be passed from
one location to the other.
Studies have also shown that
herpes sores can also provide an
entryway for other infections.
Women with the herpes virus may
even have an increased risk of
cervical cancer and it is
important for any women who has
had herpes to have a cervical
smear test (Pap test) every one or
two years.
Whether you have been diagnosed
with some form of herpes or not,
practicing common sense prevention
can go a long way in controlling
the spread of herpes. For
instance, avoid kissing persons
who currently have sores on their
mouth or lips.
Always practice safe sex in
non-monogamous relationships and
avoid all sexual contact with any
partner who is exhibiting symptoms
of an active outbreak of genital
herpes until symptoms have
disappeared. While most, but not
all, male genital herpes outbreaks
are easily detected, female
genital herpes outbreaks can many
times go completely unnoticed. In
fact, many women with genital
herpes don't realize they have
contracted the virus until they
have passed it on to a partner.
Using a condom may or may not
prevent the spread of the herpes
virus from one partner to another,
whether one partner has an active
outbreak or not; So while using
condoms may be better than no
protection at all, you should be
aware that even condoms are not
100% effective in protecting
against the transmission of the
herpes virus.
If you have a history of herpes,
avoid getting overtired or
allowing yourself to get run down.
When you are fatigued, your immune
system cannot function as well,
and you may be more vulnerable to
a recurrence of herpes.
If you suspect you might have some
form of the herpes virus or if you
have a partner that has herpes,
please see your local health care
provider for a diagnosis and
medical advise. For more
information about herpes,
including clinical pictures,
frequently asked questions and
news about a possible herpes cure,
please visit our website at www.herpes-pics.com
This
article is part of a free
educational series of articles
written by John Trout, on the
subject of the herpes virus. To
get the complete series, simply
send a blank email to: herpes@newsabout.info
Article
Source: http://www.herpes-pics.com/
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Trout is a full time internet
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, http://newsabout.info
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