Genital herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted viral infection of the skin and mucous membranes around the genitals and anus, caused mainly by herpes simplex virus type 2 and sometimes type 1. Hundreds of millions of adults worldwide carry the type 2 virus; women are infected almost twice as often as men, and prevalence rises with age. Transmission occurs through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and the virus can pass on even when the skin looks normal. Symptoms include small blisters that burst into painful sores, tingling or itching, pain on passing urine and unusual discharge, although they may not appear until weeks or years after infection. Testing of fluid swabbed from a blister or sore confirms the diagnosis. There is no cure; antiviral medicines can ease symptoms, shorten outbreaks and lower the chance of passing the virus on.

Seek urgent care for a high fever with a stiff neck, rash, confusion, difficulty breathing, or fever after travel to a malaria area. See a doctor when a fever lasts more than three days, when symptoms return after treatment, or when you may have been exposed to an infection that needs testing. Call the local emergency number for any symptom that is sudden and severe. This page is a reference for healthcare professionals and does not replace an assessment.