Why herpes outbreak

If you have an active genital herpes infection at or near the time of delivery, you can pass it to your baby. When the baby passes through the birth canal, it may come in contact with sores and become infected with the virus. This can cause brain damage, blindness, or even death in newborns. If you do have an outbreak of genital herpes at the time of delivery, your doctor will most likely deliver your baby by C-section.

This lessens the risk of giving herpes to your baby. You may feel your sex life is ruined or that someone you thought you could trust has hurt you. You may feel sad or upset. Keep in mind that herpes is very common.

About 1 in 6 adults have it. Herpes may get less severe as time goes by. You can help protect your sex partner by not having sex during outbreaks and by using condoms at other times. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. Information for teens about deciding whether your ready to have sex, how to deal with peer pressure, and how…. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Food Poisoning. Acute Bronchitis. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Bursitis of the Hip. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. High Blood Pressure. Home Diseases and Conditions Herpes.

Table of Contents. What is herpes? The most common viruses are: Herpes zoster. This causes chickenpox and shingles. Herpes simplex virus HSV type 1 and type 2. Type 1 usually causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth.

Type 2 usually causes sores on the genitals sexual organs. But it is possible to have type 2 on the genitals and type 1 around the mouth. Oral herpes is usually caused by HSV-1 and can result in cold sores or fever blisters on or around the mouth. However, most people do not have any symptoms. Most people with oral herpes were infected during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva.

Oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can be spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex. This is why some cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV Genital herpes is common in the United States. More than one out of every six people aged 14 to 49 years have genital herpes. You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease. If you do not have herpes, you can get infected if you come into contact with the herpes virus in:.

You can get herpes from a sex partner who does not have a visible sore or who may not know he or she is infected. It is also possible to get genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a sex partner who has oral herpes. You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools, or from touching objects around you such as silverware, soap, or towels. If you have additional questions about how herpes is spread, consider discussing your concerns with a healthcare provider. If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting genital herpes:.

Be aware that not all herpes sores occur in areas that are covered by a latex condom. Also, herpes virus can be released shed from areas of the skin that do not have a visible herpes sore.

For these reasons, condoms may not fully protect you from getting herpes. If you are in a relationship with a person known to have genital herpes, you can lower your risk of getting genital herpes if:. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is very important for you to go to prenatal care visits. Tell your doctor if you have ever had symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with, genital herpes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to genital herpes.

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Herpes simplex virus 2 infection increases HIV acquisition in men and women: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. AIDS , Barnabas RV, Celum C. Infectious co-factors in HIV-1 transmission. Herpes simplex virus type-2 and HIV new insights and interventions. Curr HIV Res , The effects of herpes simplex virus-2 on HIV-1 acquisition and transmission: a review of two overlapping epidemics.

JAIDS , The acquisition of herpes simplex virus during pregnancy. Kimberlin DW. Herpes simplex virus infections in the newborn. Semin Perinatol , Effect of serologic status and cesarean delivery on transmission rates of herpes simplex virus from mother to infant.

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Cochrane Database Syst Rev , Issue 1: Art. Neonatal herpes disease following maternal antenatal antiviral suppressive therapy: a multicenter case series. J Pediatr , Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause small, painful sores in the genital area.

The symptoms may include low-grade fever, itching, burning, and trouble urinating. But many people with the disease don't realize they have been infected with HSV, because either they have only mild or infrequent symptoms, or no symptoms at all. In women, herpes outbreaks can also be mistaken for vaginitis, urinary tract infections, or even hemorrhoids.

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