Genital herpes is a transmissible disease caused by the herpes simplex 2 virus (HSV-2) and is passed from one person to another through unprotected sexual contact. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as many as one million people in the United States become infected with HSV-2 each year. Symptoms of herpes can be treated through the use of medication, but herpes itself cannot be cured. According to CDC study, more than 90 percent of people were unaware they had herpes until they tested positive. But even without obvious signs and symptoms, the HSV-2 can be spread. Genital herpes knows no age limitations or geographic boundaries; however, it is more frequently seen in females.
The First Sign of Herpes: Prodome
Some females who are infected with herpes have no obvious signs of the disease; however, those who do usually develop signs within two to 20 days of being infected with HSV-2. The first sign of herpes includes a group of symptoms known as "prodome," which warns of an impending outbreak. Signs that herald active lesions include pain, burning and sensitivity at the site where blisters will erupt. Females may also experience flu-like symptoms (including fever), swollen glands, vaginal discharge, pain in the area of the legs and buttocks, and a feeling of pressure below the abdomen. Prodome can last from a few hours to a few days.
The First Outbreak
The first outbreak of herpes is usually the worst for most females. Lesions--small clusters of blisters--appear where the HSV-2 virus entered the body and can appear in and around the vagina extending all the way to the anus, as well as inside the cervix. The lesions break into open sores and over a period of days--sometimes up to four weeks--they scab over and heal. Other signs of herpes that accompany the initial outbreak include vaginal discharge, fever, headache, aching muscles, pain when urinating and swollen glands around the genital area. In many cases, females may experience a new group of lesions that erupt just as the first group is healing.
Subsequent Outbreaks
According to the CDC, females diagnosed with herpes after an initial outbreak can expect to have several subsequent outbreaks during the first year--usually four or five. The frequency and severity of the outbreaks tend to decrease over time.
More Subtle Signs
Most females who are infected with herpes never have active lesions. Alternately, their signs are so mild, they might not even notice an outbreak or mistake a herpes blister for an insect bite or dermatological condition. The biggest sign that a female has herpes is if she has a blood test to determine if the HSV virus is in her body--and it comes back positive.
Herpes Treatment & Prevention
Use of antiviral medication, also called "suppressive therapy," helps reduce signs and symptoms associated with an initial and subsequent herpes outbreak, as well as reduces the chance of the disease being transmitted through asymptomatic "shedding" of the virus that occurs in the vaginal walls. The only sure way to prevent herpes from spreading is to abstain from having sex with uninfected partners. However, females who are sexually active should have a frank talk with prospective partners and explain the risk of infection even during times when no symptoms are present. Women should always encourage partners to wear a condom.
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