What are Genital Herpes?
According to Planned Parenthood, “more than half of Americans have oral herpes and about 1 out of 6 Americans have genital herpes” (What Is Herpes?, n.d.). There are two types of genital herpes which are herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). It is spread often during anal, oral, vaginal or oral sex. Kissing is another way it can spread.
Oral herpes often caused by HSV-1 can lead to fever blisters and cold sores around the throat, mouth, and lips. Genital herpes, often caused by HSV-2 are found around the genitals such as the vagina, vulva anus, scrotum, cervix, and penis.
Causes
There are different ways that herpes can spread which include:
- Skin to skin contact
- Sexual intercourse
- Kissing
- Saliva
- Non-sexual ways
- Parent who have cold sores contact a child by pecking them on the lips
- Mother passing genital herpes to their baby during childbirth
- Touching a herpes sore and then touching different areas of your body without washing your hands
Symptoms
Most people do not have symptoms but some include:
- Blisters on around on different parts of the body which are called “outbreaks”
- Flu-like symptoms
- Body aches
- Fever
- Swollen glands
- Burning
- Itching
- Tingling
- Pain in buttocks, legs, and back
Treatment and Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for herpes, however, there are medicines that can “prevent or shorten outbreaks” (Std Facts – Genital Herpes, 2022).
How to Prevent the Spread
- Transparency with sexual partner(s)
- Abstinence
- Condoms
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-Written by Karen Manalac
Resources:
Genital herpes. (2021, August 8). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/herpes-hsv1-and-hsv2/genital-herpes
Std facts—Genital herpes. (2022, June 7). https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htmWhat is herpes? | genital herpes vs oral herpes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/herpes
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