Herpes simplex

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Herpetic whitlow on the thumb

Herpes simplex - close-up

Herpes simplex

Treatment:

Some cases are relatively mild and may not require treatment.

In severe or prolonged cases, or in individuals who are immunosuppressed or who have frequent recurrences, antiviral medications such as acyclovirmay be used.

In individuals with more than 6 recurrences of genital herpes per year, chronic antiviral medications may be offered to reduce recurrences.

Support Groups:

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Support groups and dating services are available for people with genital herpes.

Expectations (prognosis):

The oral or genital lesions usually heal on their own in 7 to 10 days unless an individual has an underlying condition that weakens the immune system, in which case the infection may be more severe and last longer.

Once infected,the virus spreads to nerve cells and stays in the body for the rest of a person's life . It may intermittently reactivate and cause symptoms, or flares. Recurrences may be precipitated by overexposure to sunlight, fever, stress, acute illness, and medications or conditions that weaken the immune system (such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, or use of corticosteroids).

Complications:

meningitis
encephalitis
eczema herpetiform (widespread herpes across the skin)
infection of the eye -- keratoconjunctivitis
prolonged, severe infection in immunosuppressed individuals
pneumonia
infection of the trachea

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms which appear to be herpes infection. There are many different conditions that can cause similar lesions (particularly in the genital area).

If you have a history of herpes infection and develop similar lesions, notify your health care provider if they do not resolve after 7 to 10 days, or if you have a condition that weakens your immune system.

References:

Stoopler ET. Oral herpetic infections (HSV 1-8). Dent Clin North Am. 2005 Jan;49(1):15-29, vii.

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone; 2000.