herpes symptoms : Time After Time

Causes & Complications

Let's clear up some of the confusion first.

Herpes is caused by a virus that's spread by close physical contact (usually sexual) with an actively infected person.

Much of the confusion about herpes stems from the fact that there's more than one herpes simplex virus. We'll be talking about two of the most common, named (simply enough) Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 (labial herpes) is usually found around the lips and mouth and causes cold sores.

Type 2 (genital herpes) strikes most often on or around the penis or vagina. It can also occur on the mouth of victims, just as Type 1 can turn up in the sex organs, spread by oral-genital contact.

No matter how - -or where — you get it, discovering you have herpes is no fun. Then it gets worse.


Time After Time

Herpes starts as small sores or blisters that appear 2-20 days after infection. Where they appear depends on where the virus entered the body.

In women, Type 2 blisters usually turn up near the clitoris, vulva, or vagina. Men may first notice the fluid-filled sores on the penis or in the urethra. Both may suffer herpes sores on the thighs or buttocks — even in the rectum, in the case of anal intercourse.

But blisters aren't a sure sign of infection. Other sexual diseases — including syphilis and chancroid — cause herpes-like sores, and the virus can be spread without blisters and other signs of infection. In fact, only about one-fourth of all herpes sufferers develop any symptoms at all.

If they do develop symptoms, pain - -or a burning, itching feeling — is likely to lead the list. Others include flu-like fever, swollen glands, and general aches and pains.

The first herpes outbreak is often the worst, and about half of all victims never have another.

Still, while herpes sores come and go (often disappearing within three weeks), the virus always stays behind. It can linger in nerve cells — for weeks or months or years — before triggering another attack.

No one knows exactly why or when herpes symptoms reappear.

Research does show, though, that recurring outbreaks can be triggered by stress or fatigue, physical exertion, menstruation, even heavy exposure to wind or sunlight.


Other Problems

But the pain and frustration of flare-ups are only two of the problems herpes sufferers face. There are others.

One of the worst is the higher risk of contracting another incurable — and deadly — disease: AIDS.

Studies in Africa and the United States show that people with herpes are more likely to be infected by the AIDS virus, which researchers believe enters the body through herpes sores.

Type 2 herpes is also linked with cases of meningitis and disorders of the throat, skin, and stomach. Both forms of the virus can cause a potentially-blinding eye infection.

Women are hit particularly hard.

Not only does herpes 2 boost their odds of cervical cancer, but pregnant women can pass the disease to their babies at birth. Since herpes is fatal to about half of exposed infants, most doctors recommend delivery by C-section to avoid infection.


Danielle Hain