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How is herpes transmitted?

Herpes can be transmitted from one person to another through direct skin to skin contact. This is why Herpes can be transmitted through sexual intercourse. When the genitals come into contact with each other during intercourse, the virus gets transmitted. Oral sex and anal sex may also lead to the transmission of herpes.

How can you protect yourself against Herpes?

The best and the most sure-fire way of protecting yourself against herpes is abstinence from sexual intercourse. This, however, is quite hard for some people to do; it might even border on the impossible for some. The next best thing would be to have a mutually monogamous relationship with someone who does not have Herpes.

If having multiple sexual partners cannot be avoided, wearing a condom at all times is a must. You can avoid getting infected through asymptomatic shedding (in fact, you can prevent contracting several other sexually transmitted diseases aside from Herpes) by wearing a condom every time you engage in sexual intercourse. Regular diagnostic testing is also recommended.

The spread of Herpes can be curbed. It is necessary, however, that people adhere to a few simple rules and take the time to understand what Herpes is.

A lot of the problems we are encountering today stem from relatively simple causes. One of these problems is ‘Herpes’. Herpes is a disease that everyone has probably heard of at least once in his/her life. Unfortunately though, despite the fact that a lot of people know of this disease, most people’s knowledge of it ends with its name. The answers to the most basic questions about Herpes remain unknown despite the easy availability of relevant information.

Herpes is still spreading in epidemic proportions. About 500,000 new herpes cases are discovered each year. And what’s even more unfortunate is that we wouldn’t have had this problem if only information about it had been disseminated quickly, properly and accurately. In an effort to help stem the spread of this disease, here is a list of FAQ’s about Herpes.

What is Herpes?

Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. Its causative agent is the Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV. HSV has two strains; namely HSV1 and HSV2. HSV1 causes cold sores to appear around the area of the mouth while HSV2 generally refers to the type of herpes that induces the appearance of sores around the genitalia.

What are its symptoms?

Genital Herpes, the type caused by HSV2, has several symptoms. The most noticeable of them all, however, are the clusters of papules that appear around the penis, vulva or anus a week after contracting the disease and during outbreaks. These papules resemble cold sores and are often painful and itchy. Herpes may also induce discharge from either the penis or the vagina. Herpes, moreover, can be accompanied by fever, body malaise, swollen lymph nodes, and headaches. Dysuria or painful urination may also be noted.

Herpes, however, has an ‘asymptomatic stage’ which occurs during the first week after a person contracts the disease; this asymptomatic stage also occurs sporadically between outbreaks. During this period, no symptoms appear even though the virus is present. This means that a person who does not exhibit typical Herpes symptoms may still be infected with the disease. Even worse, such a person may already be a carrier of the said disease and may unknowingly spread it to others through the so-called ‘asymptomatic shedding’. This disproves the common misconception that herpes cannot be transmitted when sores are absent.