Especially for women, genital herpes can cause many complications. According to Kirchheimer (2002), women who have genital herpes can be at risk of getting cervical cancer. HSV-2 was found in almost half of women who have cervical cancer. Kirchheimer (2002) cited another study wherein the findings showed that women who have both HSV-1 and HSV-2 were almost three times more likely to have cervical cancer. These women come from different countries around the world.
Why the HSV-2-infected women have a higher chance of getting cervical cancer is because this type of virus poses as an ‘accomplice’ of human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer. This study was supported by Jennifer Smith, an epidemiologist who works at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France. The study found out that 44 % of those who have cervical cancer have genital herpes. Only 26% accounted for those who have herpes but did not have cervical cancer (cited in Seppa, 2002).
Other complications include encephalitis and meningitis (Katz-Wise & Poore, 2007), incontinence, transverse myelopathy and recurrent disease (The National Men’s Resource Center, 1996-2006). Treatments Although the herpes virus cannot be cured and it stays in the body for a lifetime, treatments can relieve the symptoms. They can decrease the discomfort or pain due to the outbreak. Moreover, treatments can hasten the healing time of lesions and sores. There are a wide variety of treatments available for genital herpes. Antiviral medicines work best with the HSV virus.
Those who are infected will benefit from these if they take the medicines every day. One of these medicines is the oral acyclovir (Zovirax), which is the least expensive. It can be a pill, liquid or injection (Albrecht, n. d. ). This treatment is best used during the first episode and when there are recurrences. However, this does not completely cure the infection; Zovirax lessens the severity and duration of primary infection symptoms. It is effective and must be used more than the prescribed five times a day application. It can also help in reducing viral shedding.
It is advised that those who suffer from recurrences of herpes virus should undergo therapy as soon as the symptoms are noticed (The National Men’s Resource Center, 1996-2006). An infected person can also take Famciclovir, which is taken two to three times a day. Another antiviral medication is the Valaciclovir. There are clinical trials which showed that Valaciclovir, which is an antiviral therapy, can either delay or prevent 85% of genital herpes (Herpesclinic. com, n. d. ). It is also more convenient than the first two medications because it is taken one to two times a day (Albrecht, n.
d. ). Another treatment is through self-care measures such as warm baths and gentle cleansing using soap and water. Neomycin and Polymyxin B and Bacitracin, which are topical antibiotic, can be used when there is secondary infection. A person with genital herpes can also relieve pain by sitting in a few inches of cold water. This is called a sitz bath (Albrechtm n. d. ). Aside from these, an infected person can opt for other available treatments for drug therapy. These are the episodic therapy and the suppressive therapy.
Episodic therapy using antiviral drugs should start as soon as the symptoms appear. But the medication must be discontinued after seven to 10 days. This therapy is recommended for those who experience at most six recurrences in a year. However, episodic therapy does not guarantee the reduction of recurrences. Suppressive therapy, on the other hand, is the continuous application of antiviral drugs. Through this type of therapy, there are fewer recurrences; the time between recurrences is longer; and the duration of symptoms during a recurrence is shorter.
Suppressive therapy can also minimize the risk of the transmission of HSV to an uninfected partner. This type of therapy is recommended for those who experience more than six recurrences in a year. Those who have weak immune system due to the HIV virus must be given immune-suppressing drugs (Albrecht, n. d. ). For those who suffer from impaired immune systems, they must take antiviral medicine to prevent any recurrences. But they must also remember that other antiviral medicines can have bad side effects (WebMD, 1995-2007).
For the blisters, Iodine paint or Betadine can help dry them out and keep secondary infection from happening. Aspirin or paracetamol can help in alleviating pain when urinating. If recurrent outbreaks are regular, medication should be taken continuously so that outbreaks are prevented (Sexually Transmitted Diseases Services, n. d. ). The risk of getting infected with the genital herpes virus is higher if one is not very careful. WebMD (1995-2007) reported that having multiple sex partners is the number one culprit when it comes to transmitting or acquiring the virus.
Not using condoms will also increase the risk, especially if one’s sex partner has many sex partners or if one of his partners is infected with genital herpes. Moreover, those who have impaired immune system and those that were sexually active before 18 are at a high risk. WebMD also reported that compared to men, women are more likely to experience complications due to the infection. Additionally, being infected with HSV virus poses a greater risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) if exposed.
On the other hand, fatigue, emotional stress, physical injury especially in the genital area and cold or flu can increase the risk of recurrences. The popular saying, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” applies well with genital herpes. In this case, the most practical prevention an infected person can do is to abstain from sexual contact, especially when a person has lesions or if there are symptoms of genital herpes. Another way is to have a mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected person. Infection can happen even if there are no sores or blisters.
Thus, both partners must be careful so as not to spread infection. The correct use of latex condom is also advised as it can reduce the risk of infection, although it does not guarantee protection for both partners from genital herpes. The American Academy of Dermatology (1998) declared that the risk of transmitting the herpes virus is 10% per year despite the use of condoms and abstinence. Moreover, the transmission of genital herpes is greater from male to female than vice versa. There is also a greater chance for a female to be infected with the virus.
The studies and findings mentioned in this paper just give us a peek at the prevalence of genital herpes, not just in the United States but in other countries as well. This disease is a serious one, and its spreading to other uninfected persons can result to a lot of complications. Thus, any preventive measure is of utmost importance to keep the virus from spreading from one person to another.
References Albrecht, Mary A. (n. d. ). Patient information: Genital herpes. Retrieved on December 11, 2007 from http://patients. uptodate. com/topic. asp? file=inf_immu/4926
American Academy of Dermatology. (1998). Genital herpes: Can transmission be prevented?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 11, 2007, from http://www. sciencedaily. com¬ /releases/1998/03/980311072130. htm Bogaerts, J. et. al. (2001). Sexually transmitted infections among married women in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Unexpected high prevalence of herpes simplex type 2 infection. Sex Transm Inf, 77, 114-119. Brown University. (2006). Genital herpes. Retrieved on December 11, 2007 from http://www. brown. edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/sexual_health/sti/herpes. htm
Bunzli, D. et. al. (2004). Seroepidemiology of herpes simplex cirus type 1 and 2 in Western and Southern Switzerland in adults aged 25-74 in 1992-93: A population-based study. BMC Infectious Diseases, 4, 10. Available online: http://www. biomedcentral. com/1471-2334/4/10 The Complete Herpes Information Center. (2007). Herpes statistics. Retrieved on December 11, 2007 from http://www. globalherbalsupplies. com/herpes/stats. html CureResearch. com (2005). Prevalence and incidence statistics for genital herpes. Retrieved on December 11, 2007 from http://www. cureresearch. com/g/genital