Genital herpes (HSV 2) and teens
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Nancy L. Brown, PhD
A national survey of the US population conducted between 1988 and 1994 found that more than one in five people over 12 are infected with herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV 2), the virus typically responsible for genital herpes. A clinician can diagnose herpes by looking at a sore, or taking a sample and having it tested in a lab. There is no treatment that can cure herpes but there are medications that can shorten and prevent the outbreaks.Herpes is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact (even when you cannot see a sore) and the person with herpes may not have any symptoms.
There is some good news about herpes simplex virus type 2. Increased condom use may be reducing the number of new herpes 2 infections. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported (August 23, 2006) that overall, the number of Americans aged 14 to 49 who tested positive for herpes 2 infection fell by a relative rate of 19% between 1988 and 2004 – most significantly in teens – from a prevalence of 21% in the late 1980s to 17% 10 years later. Rates of herpes simplex virus type 1 are also dropping – from 62% in the 1980s to 58% in the 1990s.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 causes most genital herpes and is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Herpes simplex virus type 1 which is typically spread during childhood via nonsexual contact is a principle cause of genital herpes in some developed countries.
For more information, check this site: Herpes
For more information, check this site: Herpes - CDC
Photo Credit: antibubbles
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Labels: Herpes
46 Comments:
At Sun Jun 10, 12:41:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
im 16 i started having sex wit my boyfriend last year iv goten thrush , really sore things like boils now i have tiny white worms ....my boyfriend had sex wit other girls but he was my first.. im really scared ....wat cud it be??
At Sat Jun 16, 12:48:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am so sorry, and it is important that you go see a doctor, who will treat the worms and test you for sexually transmitted infections, and help you select a reliable method of birth control. Please make an appointment with your doctor or at a Planned Parenthood Clinic near you! Good luck!
At Sun Jun 24, 10:22:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
i had sex with a woman who has a herpes type 2 but i used a condom ,2 days later i felt my body is not normal so i went to a doctor and i had ful STD cheak but everything was fine,after 3 months i did the same and it was fine as well,i had even herpes type 2 test and was negative but my earction became very weak and i have pain in my arms and legs sometimes, could u please tell me what should i do?
At Tue Jun 26, 09:44:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
umm ya im 16 i i had sex with this girl at a party my friend had a couple months back and i noticed 4 days ago i have red spots in my genital area but they arent bumps they are flat shiny red patches and idk what it is..what could it be?
At Fri Jun 29, 07:30:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
hi i was currently diagonosed with genital herpes.....i have lesions and they are hurting.....is there anything i can use to numb the pain?.....a nurse gave me lidocaine viscous......also i wanted to know what kind of soap could i use the soap i use burns me so bad. Help Me! Its Painful to Walk or Stand Im Scared!
At Sat Jun 30, 09:17:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
hiii im 14 and yesterdaii the doctor told me that i had herpes simplex i dont even know how i got it because i never had any type of sex and im scared is it curable??
At Mon Jul 02, 10:51:00 AM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am not sure you should panic. Call the doctor and ask a couple more questions. Herpes simplex 1 causes cold sores, and herpes simplex 2 is what causes sores on your genitals.
At Mon Jul 09, 04:33:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am so sorry! Please talk to a doctor about taking a medication to treat the outbreak (Acyclovir, Valtrex or Famvir). The medication will shorten the duration of the outbreak and help the pain. There is an acyclovir gel that you can apply directly to the lesions, that will imeediately help. Good luck!
At Mon Jul 09, 04:33:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am so sorry! Please talk to a doctor about taking a medication to treat the outbreak (Acyclovir, Valtrex or Famvir). The medication will shorten the duration of the outbreak and help the pain. There is an acyclovir gel that you can apply directly to the lesions, that will imeediately help. Good luck!
At Mon Jul 16, 08:39:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
i am a 20yr old boy. i hav never had sex. i hav a sort of a rush on my penis on the back side. my scrotum is itchy+ wen i scratch it produces sort of pimples. not long ago my testicles hurt like hell. please tell me wat it might be before its too late for anything. am worried.
At Wed Jul 18, 10:22:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Im turning 19 in a few weeks. I was recently diagnosed with genital herpes. Im on medication. In your opinion, how do people usually react to someone telling them they have it?? I dont know what to do. Im not having sex with any one at the moment. Ive never done this before.
At Thu Jul 19, 06:56:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Well, it is never a comfortable process, but I know many people who have gotten comfortable with having herpes, which is like any other chronic disease, and not your fault. One person I know brought it up and then the couple made an appointment with a doctor to discuss it - prior to having sex.
It is uncomfortable, but extremely important to discuss before having sex with someone new. Herpes lasts forever and can be transmitted between people when you have no symptoms, and with skin-to-skin contact that a condom cannot protect against. Those are the facts and someone who loves you will not run the other way. You will be fine!
At Fri Jul 27, 08:18:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
ti had sex with a woman who has a herpes type 2 but i used a condom ,2 days later i felt my body is not normal so i went to a doctor and i had ful STD cheak but everything was fine,after 3 months i did the same and it was fine as well,i had even herpes type 2 test and was negative but my earction became very weak and i have pain in my arms and legs sometimes, could u please tell me what should i do?
At Mon Jul 30, 12:18:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
I have had a red patch about the size of a nickle on my penis that itches and sometimes hurts like dry skin, but not bumps or blister more like a rash or dry itchy skin, i have had it for about 6 weeks, any idea.
At Wed Aug 01, 11:31:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
hi. so i dont know if i have genital herpes or not. but i have had unprotected sex 2 wks. ago an i have noticed bumps in my vagina. They are not red or sore, I just had a baby 2 mo. ago and dont know if my vagina could be healing or if its herpes. any advice?
At Tue Aug 07, 06:08:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
About a year ago i got a weird rash on my lower leg that blistered over and the doctor cultured it and it came back as zoster AND HSV-2. Not even a year later I have another outbreak in the exact spot on my leg. i have never noticed sores in the genital area. Does this mean that I have the genital form since it only shows up on my leg? Please let me know if anyone else has experienced this!!
At Wed Aug 08, 07:09:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
This post has been removed by the author.
At Wed Aug 08, 07:11:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
It is always a good idea to have bumps and rashes looked at by a medical professional - no one can tell you what something is over the Internet. Sorry!
At Tue Aug 14, 12:40:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Hi, herpes can actually occur anyplace the virus has touched, although it is usually about the genital area. If it recurs 3-4 or more times over the year your doctor can give you a medication to prevent this. When you have an outbreak it is important to avoid sex with others since it can be spread then.
At Thu Sep 13, 10:54:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Im am FREAKING out! i felt this bump on the out side of my vagina. its very little. and i just thought it was an ingrown hair, and i picked at it and it got irritated. im scared it might be herpes. but i have no idea how i could have gotten it. cause i havent had sex wiht someone in a long time. and it says that once u recieve the virus you see reactions with in 2-10 days.?? so how could this be? could it just be a random sore? I dont understand. I am SO scared.
At Fri Sep 14, 12:43:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Freaking out does not help - take a deep breath! There is no way for anyone on the internet to tell you if it is herpes, so make an appointment with a clinician to look at the thing. Do not worry - chances are good it was apimple or ingrown hair - and in the future - no picking! Good luck!
At Thu Sep 27, 11:30:00 AM 2007,
veeru said…
Hi,
Im 32 and got this disease since 15 years. I used 1 year suppression (Aciclovir 400, 1+1 everyday) theraphy. But, I couldnot get any shingles till today. related that Im suffering with eye infection and occassionally some body pains.
Now, suppression theraphy is over. So, next what can I do for curing the disease.
At Thu Sep 27, 01:45:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am sorry, but there is no "cure" for HSV 2. You can see this page on We're Talking Teen Health for more information: http://www.pamf.org/teen/sex/std/std/herpes.html
At Tue Oct 09, 11:47:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
My 11 year old daughter was diagnosed with HSV-2. Can that ONLY been spread through forms of sexual contact? I am very scared for her. Can the blodwork tell if the infection happened recently?
At Tue Oct 09, 11:52:00 PM 2007,
groovy said…
My 11 year old was recently diagnosed with HSV-2. I am scared. Is this virus something that can be in your body for a long time without any symptoms? Can the doctors tell if the infection is old? I am desperate for answers!!
At Thu Oct 11, 10:05:00 AM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
A pediatrician friend said "The virus can remain dormant in your body for some time (some say a few years) without symptoms. There is no way to tell a new from an old infection."
At Tue Nov 20, 06:04:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
My girlfriend was raped by a man who had herpies who at the time was taking a drug to limit the spread affects of the HSV2 but now it has been 4 years and she has not had any symptoms, blood tests came out negative as there is no way to check for HSV2 without an outbreak, she has never had an outbreak, she wants to have sex but i dont want to catch it.. is there any way to tell if she has it? we are both really concerned but it has been four years...
At Wed Nov 21, 08:10:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
please help! my girl friend may have HVS2 but she had sex over 4 years ago with the guy who had it, and she has never had symptoms! he was taking drugs to limit the effects of spreading the virus, is there any way she could not be infected? I need to know asap she wants to have sex and i dont know if i want to risk it without knowing the chance..
At Mon Nov 26, 10:43:00 AM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
If the test was negative and you use condoms, you will have every assurance possible. I am sorry this is so hard on both of you.
At Thu Nov 29, 07:44:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
sorry to question again but has there ever been anyone who you have heard about that has gone 4 or more years without a first outbreak?
At Fri Nov 30, 04:20:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
It is more likely that you thought you had the flu or something during your first outbreak, but I cannot say for sure.
At Fri Nov 30, 04:20:00 PM 2007,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
This post has been removed by the author.
At Sun Mar 30, 10:16:00 AM 2008,
Anonymous said…
Hello,
I was curious to know if HSV-2 can get worst over time. Has anyone ever died from complications of HSV-2?
At Tue Apr 01, 01:43:00 PM 2008,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Actually, outbreaks seem to decrease over time, although we do not know why. Herpes is not life threatening, but staying healthy and protecting others by using condoms and not having sex when you have a sore, are very good ideas.
At Tue Jul 29, 03:41:00 PM 2008,
Anonymous said…
Hi, ok about a week ago I noticed a bump and thought it was a pimple so I left it alone but the next day there was like 6 more. so I went to the doctors and she told me it was a shaving rash, Obviously bs. So I've gone to get a second opinion and this guys says its either molluscum that got irritated from me scratching or something, or herpes... My ex boyfriend had molluscum and its been probably about 2-3 months since I've had contact with him. In your opinion what do you think it is? I won't have results for like a week and a half.. Obviously you wouldn't know without seeing... But as far as I know I haven't slept with anyone with herpes, and I've been seeing this new guy for like a month now.
At Sat Oct 04, 02:39:00 AM 2008,
Anonymous said…
why is it that herpes cannot be cured?
At Fri Oct 17, 01:27:00 PM 2008,
Anonymous said…
Hey im 16 and the only time ive had sex is about a year ago but ive had always used a condom and been safe. i still have been sexually active recently but i have not had sex. I went to the nurse and my my sore like cut on my genital area and at the time i had a fever and tonsilitis. The nurse took my urine and swabbed the area where i have got a sore the results came bac negative for any infections. I went to see a different doctor and she said it looked like genital herpies she gave me medication. But i dont get how i got it. Im really worried. its only one single cut do you think ive got genital herpes??
At Mon Oct 20, 10:37:00 AM 2008,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
I am sorry. Herpes can be transmitted between people via skin-to-skin contact, and a condom will not necessarily help since it only covers the penis.
There is a test they can do to see if you have herpes, so ask for it.
At Sun Nov 09, 06:35:00 AM 2008,
Anonymous said…
im 15 and i think i might have herpes there not bad but ive never has sex before but i plan on keeping my v card till im married but will the herpes effect anything else i want to do?
At Tue Nov 11, 11:28:00 AM 2008,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Good news! Chances are outstanding that if you have never had sex, you do not have genital herpes! No worries!
At Sat Mar 21, 11:50:00 PM 2009,
Anonymous said…
hi im 19 and i have blister and lessions on my vagina..and they are only on one side.and it burns when i pee and they hurt SO BAD!! i feel like my life is going to be over if i have herpes. i just had sex a little over a week ago and im pretty sure it was that guy who gave it to me. i kno you can still contract the virus without any physical apprance of the virus but do you think herpes is what i have. im so scared and there really isnt anyone i can talk to. is there anything i can do so it wont burn so much when i go to the bathroom?
At Tue Mar 24, 09:18:00 AM 2009,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
First, I am so sorry about the pain. Second, please go see your doctor or someone at Planned Parenthood. Herpes lesions can be identified, and you will feel better if they say, "nope, not herpes."
A couple of tricks re: the pain when peeing - you can cover the painful area with vaseline before you urinate - creating a barrier, or use grandma's diaper rash prescription - egg whites, also creates a barrier.
At Sat Jun 06, 07:20:00 PM 2009,
Anonymous said…
I have 4 blisters along the side of my penis and they are red raised and have scabs on them do you think this is HSV 2? they dont itch or hurt but it just looks well unsettling, I have heard they could be something called scabbies? what do you think?
At Sun Jun 07, 05:19:00 AM 2009,
Anonymous said…
im 18 and never had sex,but for the past few years ive had these spots appear in the pubic region, start of red then turn into a kind of white head spot that can be squeezed, these then heal and go away, but i have had them occur many times in a year, can this be herpes even tho i have never had sex?
At Tue Jun 30, 10:10:00 AM 2009,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
You will have to see a doctor to determine if you have HSV, but you can find some information about scabies here: http://www.healthline.com/channel/
scabies.html
At Tue Jun 30, 10:12:00 AM 2009,
Nancy L. Brown, PhD said…
Let's assume you do not have HSV if you have never had sex. Remember you can get pimples anywhere you have skin, but if worried, the next time you have one, see a doctor.
P.S. Do not pick things!
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