Herpes Simplex Virus Symptoms

 Herpes simplex virus damages skin and mucous membranes (most often on face and genitals), central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis), eyes (conjunctivitis, keratitis). Depending on time of patient's infecting with herpes simplex virus, genital herpes may be primary or recurrent. The symptoms differ.

Primary Herpes Simplex Virus
As a rule it courses without symptoms which leads to hidden virus carrying or development of herpes recidivicus. This asymptomic form is considered more dangerous because without experiencing symptoms a man continues to lead an active sex life infecting his partners. It should be noticed that in period of primary infection development herpes is most contagious.

Primary genital herpes usually appears in 1 – 10 days of incubation period and has more severe and prolonged course. Major herpes simplex virus has the same symptoms as most viral infections damaging skin and  mucous membranes such as rash in genitals area, on mucous membranes of genitals and adjoining skin areas, do appear groups of small bladders filled with liquid with redding of skin around them.

In 2 – 4 days contents of bladder do grow turbid and bladder break down forming madidans erosions or sometimes sores (after erosion drys, a crust appears on it), in 5 – 7 days the crust drops out and on the spot of erosion remains a patch.

Patients may suffer from itching and pains in damage center area.  In some cases itching appears as a signal symptom of herpes before rash appears on skin and mucous membranes. Other symptoms are common weakness, body temperature increase, painful increase of lymphatic glands, frequent urination, headache, muscle pains.

Acute period of primary herpes may achieves up to 3 -5 weeks. Typical localization of herpes simplex virus are genitals, rarely it may be mouth if infection occurred via oral contact with infected genitals.

In genital herpes the rash may occur not only externally on genitals but also on inner part of urethra or vagina, and also on thighs and legs. In females genital herpes often appears on buns and may be connected with oncoming of menstruation.

Primary genital herpes in 10 - 30% of cases may cause complications. Herpes simplex virus may damage nervous system, joints, pelvic organs.

What Are the Dangers of Herpes Virus

Genital herpes is dangerous with its complications which more often occur in women – it is found in each forth women suffering from recurrent genital herpes. Genital herpes complications may be local affecting only genital area, but may be systemic affecting whole body.

Local complications in women are excessive dryness of mucosa of pudendums and formation of painful bloody fissures, damage of posterior labial commissure and mucosa of vaginal orifice.

Similar symptoms may appear not at once but in several years after onset of active herpetic process. They are not dangerous but they complicate woman's sexual life and bring unpleasant and painful sensations.

Besides genitalia area in herpetic process may be involved nervous system and complications here occur quite frequently. In patients may appear pains in underbelly and crotch, pains may spread to lumbar region and rectum. This pain syndrome in genital herpes is caused by the damage of particular nervous formations causing burning sensations in patient.

Frequent recurrences of genital herpes dramatically reduces the immunity of patient. This may result in activation of pathogenic bacterial flora (staphylococcus, colon bacterium) causing development of such diseases as bacterial urethritis, prostatitis and vesiculitis. It is quite difficult to treat these diseases in case of low immunity.

Most severe herpes complications are connected with so called herpes neonatorum which may cause child's death and steady neurological disorders. Herpes neonatorum occurs in case of fetus infection during pregnancy or baby infection during his passing through mother's birth canal.

Recently was proved the connection between genital herpes and appearing of cervical cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Keep in mind that timely treatment of genital herpes excludes the probability of complications.