How to Treat Herpes

What Else to Know About STDs?

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std imageSTDs or sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted by sexual activity with a person already carrying it. Other terms for these diseases are venereal diseases or sexually transmitted infections. STDs can also be transmitted through breastfeeding and child birth. Although there are diseases like common cold or influenza can be transmitted through sex, they are not considered as STD as sex is not the main factor of these diseases.

STDs are well known for the past 100 years and they are a major problem to our current health care. Because of their infectious property, people having STDs are growing exponentially every day. This rapid growth of infected individuals has made the government from different countries take necessary measures like implementing social consciousness.

There are many known STDs and they all have different natures. These kinds of diseases are the result of different types of germ infections like fungal, viral, bacterial etc. There are also protozoa and parasites STDs. While most of these diseases can be cured and treated, there are some that are not. HIV and AIDS are two examples. Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis are STDs caused by bacteria while Herpes, HIV, Hepatitis A, E, and C are viral.

The symptoms of STDs cannot be listed because the term STD means a group of diseases. Every disease has its own signs and symptoms. However, it often happens that an individual infected with STD is not aware of it. A person may not feel sick at all or may never show any symptoms towards an STD and may still be infected. There are also some cases that a person who may have an STD is shy to admit it. This is very unfortunate as not only those persons are difficult to detect, they make it easier for other people to get infected.

While cure of an STD depends on a certain disease and may or may not be easy to do, prevention of these diseases is easy. STD can be avoided by practicing safe sex. This means that one should always use condom if he is not unsure of the history of the sexual partner.

In third-world countries, governments and NGOs are trying hard to advertise the use of condoms. In the developed countries such as USA, many posters and advertisements are used to stop STD spreading. It also increases more awareness on the population. In schools, introducing sex education in the syllabus is another way to fight against these diseases.

The Top 3 Common STDs

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Common STDs or sexually transmitted diseases might not be as common as colds but various STDs and the number of individuals who have them are already significant in number to be able to determine the top 3 common STDs. In this article is a brief description of the diseases along with their symptoms.

syphilis

Syphilis or Syph, Bad Blood or Pox, is the first one. This disease is passed by direct contact with the sore. This is passed on by bacterial known as spirochetes that can get inside the body during sex. When getting inside the body, they go further to the internal organs and blood. Its incubation period is around ten days to three months and has an average of 21 days. The symptoms of this STD are sores, which usually manifests germs that already entered the body. The next is rashes, sore throat, loss of hair, and etc. These signs usually disappear in two to four weeks. If it is left untreated, the symptoms might redevelop in the future.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea also known as GC, Clap, and Grip is the next common STD. This is passed through direct contact with the infected mucous membranes such as the mouth, anus, or genitals of a person. Contaminated hands can pass the bacteria to the eyes as well. In other cases, there are no symptoms. However, those who have experienced the symptoms may include burning sensation during urination and pus discharges for men due to infection of urethra, while vaginal discharge among women. Complications can also be acquired from this disease and they are skin rashes, kidney damage, heart damage, meningitis, blindness, arthritis, sterility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and so on.

hiv

HIV or AIDS. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency. This disease is originated in Africa, and then dispersed to the Caribbean Islands. In 1981, it was reported in the USA, and was later on reported to other countries. This STD spread very fast that is soon happen in epidemic proportions in some countries. The case of this STD is pandemic. This STD is transmitted in several modes. They may be passed on by sexual activity, contaminated tools like razor blades, nippers, needles, and syringes, blood transfusion, direct contact with an open wound with contaminated blood, body fluids, vaginal discharge, and semen. Symptoms of this STD include skin cancer, tuberculosis, persistent diarrhea, malaise, unknown fever, weight loss, loss of appetite. In early stage, an individual with disease may experience loss of libido, loss of concentration, psychomotor retardation, apathy, and withdrawal.

Prevention is better than cure and it is one of the best allies against these diseases. Knowledge about these common STDs is one of the best measures that one could ever take as precaution. The next thing to do is to get tested to make sure that you are not carrying one of these diseases.

Biotechs Racing Tight for Genital Herpes Vaccine in US

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biotechs developing herpes vaccineAfter many years of stagnancy in the herpes therapeutics field, a real tight race is happening among 3 biotechs in the immunotherapy field: Agenus and Genocea, both situated in Massachusetts, Vical in San Diego. These 3 biotechs are speeding ahead to develop a vaccine for herpes.

The goal of these companies is to make develop a vaccine targeting individuals who have herpes but the ultimate goal of each company platform is to delve into a wide preventative vaccine of STI on the population.

On top of this, an Australian biotech Admedus announced positive early clinical results of their own genital herpes vaccine. Read the full article here. Tomegavax, located in Oregon, is using Gates-funded research to make its own path in developing its own vaccine too.

This tight competition is an indication of a lucrative market. Herpes is a chronic viral infection that affects 50 million Americans in the US and one out of six Americans age 14 to 49 have this virus.

In terms of treatment and vaccination, herpes has been a notorious disease. Big pharmacies dabbled in developing herpes vaccine, but GlaxoSmithKline was noteworthy for its epic flop. Compared to controls, it actually triggered even more outbreaks in women. This is the main reason why recent developments of herpes vaccines are very promising.

The “WHYs” of this come down to how the virus and most vaccines work. Herpes stays dormant within the nerve cells, evading the immune response effectively, and then activating itself at full blast during a recurrent viral shedding period. This is when an infected person is very contagious.

Recently, standard vaccine usually guards the B cells of the immune system, siccing on invaders and successfully producing antibody response. On the other hand, this approach has not impacted the course of herpes. The newer vaccine methods are mobilizing the T-cell response to lessen the viral load.

Genocea may be a few steps ahead of the race, but the triumvirate’s all in the Phase II vicinity and making positive results. They have got similar trial protocol, which is to boot.

Professor Ian Frazer is Developing A Vaccine for Herpes Simplex Virus in Australia

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professor ian frazerProfessor Ian Frazer brought the cervical cancer vaccine and now, he is developing a vaccine for herpes and has had success in trials to treat the virus. He is also working on a separate treatment for HPV virus that triggers cervical cancers. This treatment would be beneficial to women who are already old to receive the cervical cancer vaccine and those who already have the HPV virus.

An Australian healthcare group named Admedus announced on Thursday to the stock exchange the results of the Phase 1 trial of Professor Frazer’s vaccine to treat herpes simplex virus. Nineteen out of twenty individuals in the trial had produced T-cells in response to HSV2 that causes genital herpes. The Phase 1 trial tested the vaccine for efficacy and safety in uninfected individuals and it will now be tested to larger group of individuals who have HSV2.

Around one out of six Australians carry the virus that triggers skin lesions and one out of four Australians aged from 40 to 49 have the virus. David Rhodes, an Admedus science officer, said that the main goal of the vaccine is not to prevent the spread of the virus but to cure it. He said that they want to reduce the frequency of the lesions.

The trials will be extended if the vaccine can also work to prevent the spread of the virus. However, this type of study will take a long time and needs a lot of individuals. The Phase 1 trial produced T-cell response in 95% of the humans it was tested. T-cells are killer cells that can detect cells infected with virus and kill them.

The study revealed variable proof that the vaccine produces antibody response to the virus. Mr. Rhodes stated that the Phase 1 trial had provided a manifestation of what strengths of the vaccine works effectively and should be tested further. If further tests are successful, then the vaccine will be on the market after five years.

Mr. Rhodes said that the vaccine is an Australian treatment being produced by an Australian company. Professor Frazer is also working with Admedus to come up with a treatment vaccine for HPV viruses that cause cervical cancer. That program is running one step behind the vaccine and it is not quite at Phase 1 trials stage yet. Professor Frazer is also planning to develop a vaccine for some skin cancers.

Facts about Herpes Virus Family

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howtotreatherpes herpes simplex virus familyWhen most people hear about the word herpes will conjure an image of genital herpes, which is an incurable disease that is transmitted by sexual intercourse and causes blisters. On the other hand, herpes is a family of viruses that is very widespread and can cause many conditions affecting the skin.

An estimate of one out of six people may have some form of herpes in their body either active or inactive. Herpes virus forms include genital herpes, cold sores, chicken pox, mild hepatitis, mononucleosis, and shingles. All these skin conditions are caused by herpes virus family.

There are two similar conditions known as dermatitis herpetiformis and herpes gestationis that both produce herpes-like blisters on the skin but are not brought about the herpes virus. Many diseases that are brought by herpes may differ from one another but they all have common traits: very contagious, can survive for long period of time, not curable.

There are around 30 million Americans who are infected with HSV1 and despite numerous researches and studies over many years there has been small success in developing a cure or an effective vaccine.

Many viruses of the herpes family do not recur after the initial outbreak like chicken pox for example. On the other hand, all herpes viruses, when not active, stay dormant in the nerve tissues and escaping detection by immune system.

It is still unclear why and how latent herpes virus suddenly triggers into active infection. On the other hand, it is known that some stresses to the immune system trigger an outbreak. These stresses may include menstruation, over exposure to sunlight, poor diet, emotional stress, injury, illness, and so on. A strong immune system lessens outbreak occurrences, though outbreaks may trigger throughout your life. Studies have proven that shingles and chicken pox have recurrence of zero while HSV1 has recurrence of 14% and HSV2 has 60%.

The most common cause of genital infections is HSV2 and HSV1 causes infection on the lips. However, either virus can be transmitted from one location to another. Studies have proven that herpes sores can also trigger other types of infections.

Women with herpes may increase the risk of having cervical cancer and it is crucial that they have cervical smear test every year.

Whether you have been tested for herpes, practicing common sense on how to not to spread it to other people is a good move. For example, avoid kissing other people.

If you are sexually active, then practice safe sex and avoid having sex with any partner who is showing symptoms of an outbreak until such time that the symptoms are gone. While most male genital herpes outbreaks are easily noticed, female genital herpes are hard to notice. In fact, most women with genital herpes do not know that they have it until they transmit the virus to other partner.

If you had herpes before, avoid getting over exhausted or allowing yourself to get stressed. When you are fatigued, the immune system will not function properly and you may be more vulnerable to herpes outbreak recurrences.

How Can You Tell if Someone Has Genital Herpes?

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howtotreatherpes how to tell genital herpes

Do you take a good look at the person? Do you ask and look straight in their eyes? Do you inquire about their sex lives? Well, my answer is no, maybe and maybe.

It may be a good idea to ask someone if they’re aware of having genital herpes. The more sexual partners a person has had in their lives, the more likely they’re to be infected by herpes. But these methods are quite insufficient. Did you know that the majority of people who have genital or oral herpes are not aware of it? So how do you explain that? Simple, many oral or genital herpes infected people just don’t have any herpes symptoms, others have some symptoms which are mild enough to confuse them with a rash or a mosquito bite or anything that may cause, redness, swelling, itching, burning and blisters, and some may not even know what herpes symptoms are.

The fact that somebody doesn’t have or recognize herpes symptoms doesn’t mean they don’t have it. About 25% of the US population is infected with genital herpes, with women being more affected than men. Studies have shown that the vast majority (80%-90%) of people who have genital herpes have not been diagnosed with the condition.

According to a recent paper published by Carnegie Mellon University in January 2006, most sexually active teenage girls know almost nothing about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), except AIDS, until it is too late. Another 2006 study led by Dr. Herbert Kaufman, Boyd Professor of Ophthalmology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, found herpes virus-1 in 98 percent of healthy participants. None of them displayed any symptoms; however they shed the herpes virus in their saliva and tears at least once during the course of the 30-day study. Even though this study didn’t target genital herpes directly, it demonstrates that most people can be totally unaware of carrying the virus and being infected by herpes.

Shed or shedding means that the virus is present on the skin and ready to be transmitted. Herpes is transmitted through skin contact 98% of the time. Studies have shown that shedding may occur in almost 40% of HSV-2 (usually associated with genital herpes) infected people. Asymptomatic viral shedding may last 1 to 5 days, meaning that a person can be contagious without presenting any symptoms at the time. The average duration of each period of viral shedding has been assessed through laboratory studies but is just an estimate.

So how can you tell for a fact if someone has genital herpes? The only way to know is to look at blood, PCR or swab test results. Swab and PCR tests are very accurate when they detect herpes. However, if a test was performed late or delivered to the lab late, it may return a false negative result. Western blot test, a blood test, is the most accurate test available but may return a false negative if the person tested was first infected within the past 3 months. So it is not easy to know if a person has genital herpes or not

One last consideration, herpes Simplex 1 or HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes and cold sores and herpes simplex-2, genital herpes. But herpes virus-1 genital herpes is becoming more and more prevalent nowadays. It is mostly transmitted during oral sex from a person who’s having an oral herpes infection with or without symptoms. So if getting genital herpes is a concern to you, you should consider oral herpes as well as genital herpes when asking a partner.

As you can see, it is very difficult to assess if a partner has genital herpes. There are no proven products to prevent genital herpes transmission at the moment. Some are currently undergoing testing for FDA approval and will hopefully be marketed soon. In the meanwhile, the best option is using a condom.

Tips On How to Protect Yourself from Getting Herpes

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how to prevent herpes

Herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease that any person can acquire. Most infected people are not aware that they have it and it is very crucial to know that even without signs, they can still pass it to others.

What is genital herpes?

An STD having two types, namely HSV1 and HSV2.

How common is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is common in the United States. From 14 to 49 years old, there are 6 who are infected.

How is genital herpes spread?

There are 3 ways herpes can be transmitted: oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse. But in general, all of these are direct skin contact.

Herpes have fluids that carry the virus and it can cause infection. You can also get herpes from someone who does not have apparent sore or do not know he or she is having it as the virus can be release from your skin and transmit to sex partners.

How can I avoid getting herpes?

  • Abstinence
  • Having monogamy relationship with someone who has negative STD results
  • Using condoms

Herpes symptoms can occur in men and women  that are covered by latex condom. Also, outbreaks can also occur in areas not covered by condom. So there is still chance of getting condom even when you use condom.

How could herpes affect my baby if I am pregnant?

If you are conceiving a baby, then you should have frequent prenatal care visits. Notify your doctor about your herpes and its symptoms so that you will be diagnosed as there are cases of miscarriage and premature delivery due to herpes. Herpes can be transmitted to the baby and lead to deadly infection known as neonatal herpes. It is very crucial to avoid getting herpes before you get pregnant.

You may be provided with herpes medications until your pregnancy ends to reduce the risk of symptoms and passing the virus to the baby. During your delivery, the doctor will examine you for symptoms. If you have symptoms, then you will have a C-section.

How do I know if I have genital herpes?

Most people with herpes do not know that they have it. You may not notice symptoms or confuse it for other skin condition like ingrown hair or pimple. Due to this, most people are unaware that they have herpes.

Herpes sores appear like blisters in the genital and rectum area. Blisters burst and leave painful sores that may consume one or two weeks to heal. This is called an outbreak and when you experience an outbreak, you will have flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, and swollen glands.

Recurring outbreaks are common during the first year of exposure. Recurring outbreaks are less severe compared to the first. Outbreaks lessen over the year although herpes stay in the body forever.

If you notice symptoms, then you should be examined. Symptoms are bleeding between periods in women, burning sensation during urination, unusual sore, and smelly discharge from the organs.

How will my doctor know if I have herpes?

A doctor can diagnose herpes by looking at the symptoms. Doctors can also get  a swab from your sores and do some tests. You should be honest with the doctor about your symptoms.

Can herpes be cured?

There is no cure for herpes but there are medicines to prevent outbreaks. One medication can be taken every day and makes it less like you will spread the virus to other people.

What happens if I don’t get treated?

Herpes are painful and can get severe for people with weak immune system. Touching the sores can spread the virus to other people as well as other parts of the body. If you accidentally touched your sores, then immediately wash your hands with disinfectant soap to prevent further infection.

People who have herpes are worried about its impact to their lives – sex life, relationships, and health. It is best to deal with this to your doctor. Even though herpes has no cure, it can still be managed. Since diagnosing herpes can affect your feeling about current and future relationship, it is crucial to know how to talk to your partner about STD.

Can I still have sex if I have herpes?

You should tell your partner honestly if you have herpes. Using condom will not guarantee safety as having symptoms can increase the chance of the virus being spread. You can still spread herpes even if there are no symptoms.

What is the link between HIV and genital herpes?

Herpes causes sores on the mouth, rectum, vagina. and etc. and it bleeds easily. When sores contact the genital organs, they increase the risk of having HIV if your partner has HIV.

Is it Possible to Contract Genital Herpes to the Mouth?

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howtotreatherpes oral herpes

The transmission of the Herpes simplex virus can happen by any direct skin contact with affected areas. This means that it does not matter if the contact was made by one individuals’ mouth to anothers’ oral region, or from one persons’ genitals coming into contact with another persons’ genitals. The other possibility is from genital to oral touching. The normally believed notion that HSV-1 (oral herpes) and HSV-2 (genital herpes) could only be contracted in their respective zones is incorrect. Cross-infection exists and genital to oral herpes can happen.

The common misunderstanding is that HSV-1 causes herpes above the waist and HSV-2 causes it below the waist. With genital to oral herpes, this implies that an individual with infected genitals can spread the virus to another persons’ oral area. Oral area infections can be caused by either HSV-1 or HSV-2. Nevertheless, HSV-1 is usually the primary culprit. It is not clear why, but HSV-1 typically shows milder symptoms and less frequent outbreaks than HSV-2. This is true of herpes at both oral and genital sites. Thus, in most genital to oral herpes cases, the virus causing the infection is likely to be HSV-2.

When an afflicted persons’ genital region is experiencing an outbreak and viral shedding occurs, the herpes is contagious and can infect another person in any area of direct contact. If a couple were engaging in oral sex, genital to oral herpes can certainly be passed on this way. The mouth is a particularly vulnerable spot for being exposed to viruses, since it is completely lined with delicate mucus membranes and the slightest cut, scratch or abrasion of the soft tissues could surely allow bacteria and viruses in.

How Does Genital to Oral Herpes Appear?

When a strain of herpes from the genitals infects an oral region, it is essentially the same result as if it were infected by HSV-1. The appearance will be indistinguishable between the two types, since the virus is something that lies latent in the body until activated. When any form of herpes shedding occurs, the lip and mouth areas may develop giveaway signs. The person who has contracted genital to oral herpes might possibly develop red and inflamed blisters. These itchy, tingling sores can break open and leak fluid, followed by a period of crusting over once they have dried, before finally healing and ending the active cycle. Along with these localized symptoms and depending on the general state of immunity, the person could also experience the other standard signs of herpes infection including flu-like feelings, sore throat, swelling of the lymph nodes and fever.

Preventing Genital to Oral Herpes

Like under any other circumstance when an individual with herpes has sexual contact, it is important to take cautionary measures to ensure that the virus is not spread to his or her partner. Genital to oral herpes risks can be reduced by taking a few steps that provide protection, though it does not eliminate them altogether. This is because there are areas that do not get covered by the prophylactics, such as the anal region and thighs. To further lessen the risks, care must be taken in covering up all other areas that are exposed, by using underwear or protective clothing. The genital areas that do come in contact with another person should be covered in barrier protection like with a condom, dental dam or even plastic food wrap. If there are any signs of herpes shedding at that time, it is best to abstain from sex altogether. This is the only fail-safe method in preventing the spread of the herpes simplex virus between partners.

You Probably Have Herpes And You Do Not Know About It!

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herpes with no symptomsAround 70% of American ranging from 14 to 49 years old has herpes, which is either type 1 or type 2. Herpes virus affects the oral and genital area. Genital herpes is one of the most disgraced sexually transmitted infections, and it is far common that what you think. However, learning that you are carrying it might cause you social harm than actual good. This matter is something that experts want to debate. Below are four facts that you probably do not want to know.

If you catch gonorrhea or chlamydia, you can treat it with antibiotics and it will go away forever. On the other hand, there is no cure for herpes. Once you have it, you will have it forever. Over time, the cases of people having herpes are rising. This implies that middle aged adults have high herpes rates that are shocking. For instance, 50 to 70 percent of single women that aged 45 to 50 have herpes. Maybe this is not surprising. But if you are single, you have a high chance or possibility to catch herpes.

Most individuals infected with herpes do not show any symptoms. Most routine sexually transmitted infection testing does not look for herpes either. This is why most people do not know that they are carrying herpes.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines states that CDC does not recommend screening for type 1 and type 2 herpes in the general population.

For most people with herpes, the infection gives them no physical issues and there is nothing they can do to cure themselves if they found out that they are infected. Therefore, a positive diagnosis is of limited utility. The reasoning of CDC is it is not clear whether knowledge of a herpes diagnosis improves the overall health of people taking the test and lessens the spreading of herpes in the population.

However, some public health professionals contend with these recommendations and suggestions. It is it is important to know that people with herpes but no symptoms can still spread the disease to other people and their risk of catching HIV is doubled as high as those who do not have herpes. Herpes can aid HIV get into the human body when there are no noticeable symptoms.

Natural Remedies for Herpes Simplex Virus

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natural remedies herpesJust like any article you would read on the internet, herpes is a viral infection that infects the mouth, lips, nose, eyes, chin, genital, and rectal regions. There are two types of herpes simplex virus, HSV1 and HSV2. HSV1 is the virus that causes fever blisters or cold sores while HSV2 usually causes genital herpes.

There are numerous natural remedies to treat herpes virus and lessen its outbreaks. Here are additional natural remedies to lessen the itching and pain and speed up the healing process.

1. You should manage your stress. Stress is known to trigger outbreaks of herpes. To relieve your stress, you can have a massage therapy, meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga. Anything that can make you relaxed!

2. Herbal remedies for treating herpes virus.

  • To soothe the itching, aloe vera is very helpful. It can also speed up the healing process.
  • Lemon balm is another herb that can fight against herpes.
  • Goldenseal carries an antibiotic property that has the ability to treat herpes
  • Tea tree oil is another option for treating herpes virus

3. You should stay away from foods that are rich in arginine and increase intake of Lysine instead. Foods that are rich in lysine are brewer yeast, meat, milk, pears, papaya, apples, potatoes, lima beans, eggs, and cheese. Foods that are rich in arginine are gelatin, lobster, pine nuts buckwheat, beef, macadamia nuts, peacans, corn, onions, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, wheat flour, grain cereals, beer, cola, chocolate, and pumpkin.

4. Stay away from foods that contain aspartame. Aspartame is known as an artificial sweetener. Make sure that you check the label before buying foods from the grocery store. These foods are proven to trigger herpes outbreaks.

5. Avoid physical contact or touching the infected skin area the time you start seeing symptoms like burning, itching, and tingling until the herpes have healed completely.

6. If you make physical contact with an infected area, immediately wash your hands with warm water and disinfectant soap. This will kill the herpes virus and prevent it from spreading.