Herpes simplex virus

The herpes simplex virus is a virus that can cause a number of different symptoms derived from the infection. In addition, it can manifest itself physically and the infection can affect any tissue in the body or body area, like the mouth or the. There are two types of this virus:

• Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I): it is the main cause of cold sores, with the appearance of lesions on the mouth and lips. Many people do.
• Herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-II): it is the cause of genital herpes, which produces ulcerated lesions on the genitals, although it can go unnoticed without producing any symptoms.

How is it transmitted?

Transmission is between people and by contact with infected saliva in the case of HSV-I or from sexual intercourse in the case of HSV-II. And it can be spread through people who have the virus both symptomatic and asymptomatic, that is, they do not have symptoms. There is also the transmission from mother to fetus at the time of vaginal delivery, especially if the woman has active genital lesions at the time of delivery.

When the first contact with the virus, it penetrates the mucosa or skin, replicates and accesses the nerve endings in the area. The virus migrates through neurons to the ganglion neurons, near the spinal cord (in the spine). Once there you can stay latent without giving any symptoms. Later the virus can be reactivated and outbreaks appear with new lesions on the mucous membranes. In the beginning, you usually have several outbreaks a year, especially the first years after the first infection. Then the sprouts become more widely spaced.

Herpes simplex symptoms

Both oral and genital infections can go without symptoms.

• The infection oral It usually causes inflammation and the appearance of vesicles, blisters and ulcers on the mucosa of the mouth or lips. In the primary infection, more common in children and young adults, fever, muscle aches, general malaise and enlarged lymph nodes may appear. In the reactivations, the typical lesions of cold sores appear, with fluid-filled vesicles that later dry up.
• The infection genital it produces scattered ulcerated lesions in the genital area, accompanied by pain, itching and impairment of the general state in the primary infection.
• The affectation ocular gives rise to the so-called "" which is the involvement of the cornea of ​​the eye. It usually gives very intense eye pain, blurred vision and a red eye.
• In case you are affected the brain and "herpetic encephalitis" occurs, patients often show fever, disorientation, and focal neurologic symptoms. In young people it is usually the result of a first infection, while in adults it is due to a reactivation of the virus.
• In newly born infection as it can affect the central nervous system or internal organs.
• The patients immunosuppressed (especially HIV patients) can have much more intense and severe herpetic infections than normal people

Diagnosis

Many times the diagnosis is clinical, with the inspection of the lesions. However, the diagnosis can be confirmed with some supplementary tests, important in the most severe cases:

• Detection of the virus, antigen or genetic material of the virus in samples obtained by scraping the lesions. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a very reliable technique that detects the genetic material of the virus.
• Cultivating the virus
• Determine the antibodies against herpes in the blood.

Precautionary measures

First of all, it should be noted that, currently, there is no vaccine against herpes simplex:

• Genital herpes infection can be prevented with the use of preservative in sexual intercourse.
• Herpes infection of the newborn can be prevented by Caesarean section, since the newborn is prevented from coming into contact with the mother's vaginal mucosa.
• In immunosuppressed patients, antiviral to reduce the frequency of outbreaks, although there is always the danger of generating virus resistance to drugs.