Herpes is a contagious viral disease responsible for disease of the skin and mucous membranes characterized by a vesicular eruption of grouped buttons.
Herpes is a disease considered benign in healthy individuals, but can be very serious in people with impaired immune systems, infants or pregnant women.
This disease, sometimes painfully experienced, can never be totally healed and therefore requires the holder to take precautions, including outside of crises where there is potentially contagious.
Contamination is strictly inter-human for both viral types.
In France, a study published in 2002 HERPIMAX examined a sample of 4412 individuals collected in 1996 under the program SU.VI.MAX. This study found a prevalence in the population average of 67. This study found a prevalence in the population average of 75.7.
Herpes is misdiagnosed or because it is asymptomatic, either because it is confused with a fungal infection or irritation, or because patients fail to get an appointment with their doctor early enough. One third of the adult population would present symptoms of herpes, but only a quarter of these people have had their diagnosis confirmed by a doctor.
Viral entry into the organism occurs during a contact with an infected person (even if there is no skin manifestations). These mechanisms may be the cause of the manifestations of primary herpetic infection. In a second step, the virus will reach the ganglion corresponding to the infected area, centripetally, in "back" along the sensory nerves. Finally, herpes recurrences occur when, in response to physical stress or psychological variable viruses returning the skin to develop there again. These episodes are more or less frequently from one individual to another, and of varying intensity, but fixed in their topography.
In half the cases, the clinical manifestations of primary infection are completely asymptomatic. In the other half, the events are mostly characterized by a bunch of transparent vesicles rapidly becoming yellowish and crusted with feelings of tingling, burning or itching characterized.
While patients have symptomatic and asymptomatic viral shedding identical, it is unclear why the reactivation of the virus tends to be asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals in other.
For symptomatic patients, the number of occurrences, that is to say, crises, varies among individuals and depends on three factors.
Hygienic precautions are necessary to limit the risk of contamination, and must be respected both by patients than by those around, even in the absence of visible crisis. These precautions also help reduce the risk of autoinoculation, the virus that can lead to very sensitive areas (eye or genital herpes, with serious consequences).
These measures may seem heavy daily. Indeed, the simple sore can progress to more severe forms, by simple progression of the virus, or self-contamination of other areas of the body. Many people ignore these precautions or unwilling to implement them, which explains that the virus is so widespread. Some people are more at risk than others. Its location places it in popular folklore as a shameful disease. Many people infected with herpes labialis live without the complex when they feel inconvenienced by the genital herpes outbreaks.
Diagnostic methods are mainly used in cases of genital herpes. In case of orofacial herpes visual clinical examination is usually sufficient. Laboratory tests are of two kinds. The sensitivity is between 60 and 100. The sensitivity is 75 to 100.
Herpes serology is mainly indicated when direct examination is negative and in the absence of lesions, or for the diagnosis of HSV-1 or HSV-2.
There are two types of serologic tests.
Two forms of treatment available to date around to applying creams or antiviral drugs. Treatments are most effective when they are administered very early at the onset of early signs. More antiviral treatment will be taken sooner and it will be limited in intensity and duration. Antiviral drugs stop the virus from reproducing, and act only in cells infected with the virus.
Nota bene.
See the article Genital Herpes
Acyclovir (Zovirax) and valaciclovir (Zelitrex) were used in pregnant women with no embryo-fetopathy has been noted. However the use of antivirals should be restricted to cases where a benefit is to the mother and / or child.
See section vaccine Article Genital Herpes
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