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GENITAL HERPES VIRUS
-IN YOUR BODY.
After your skin comes in contact with the skin of an infected person, through sexual activity, the herpes virus is carried
tthrough your body through the skin. It travels to a group of nerves in your spine. There it goes into kind of a "sleep mode".
It can "sleep" for months at a time. From time to time, however, the virus "wakes up" and travels back to the surface of your
skin where it sheds, making copies of itself. This is when the virus is considered contagious, however, this may happen with
or withought symptoms.
THE FIRST OUTBREAK
It takes about 2-20 days after contact with the virus for symptoms to appear. The first outbreak may be so mild it goes unoticed.
In others, however, the outbreak can be severe, causing painful blisters that cause itching.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?
Sores normally come within the first two weeks after contact with the virus, these sores normally don't last very long, they
normally heal up within two to four weeks. Other than the sores, the only other sign includes flu like symptoms, for example
fever and swollen glands.
HOW CAN GENITAL HERPES BE PREVENTED?
The surest way to prevent genital herpes is by abstaining from sexual contact, or to be in a monogamous relationship withs
someone who has been tested and known to be uninfected.
Correct and continuous use of a latex condom can also drastically reduce the risk of contracting genital herpes. Since a condom
may not cover all infected areas, not even a condom is guaranteed to resist the infection.
National Herpes Hotline:
(919)361-8488
FACTS ABOUT GENITAL HERPES
- Transmission is caused by close oral, or genital contact, including intercourse masturbation, kissing, or any direct contact
which allows transfer of bodily fluids.
- A person is considered contagious when active sores are present.
- However, herpes may potentially be contagious when no symptoms are present.
- Some people do not get the sores from herpes, but are still considered to be having the virus and can still spread the
virus without knowledge that they even have it.
- Toilet seats or other enviromental surfaces may be a source of contamination.
- 500,000 people are diagnosed with herpes every year in the US. One in five adult Americans carry the virus.
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