“Well, don’t bother, - herpes! Nothing special! You were chilled from the wind, that’s all! You will be ok in a couple of days! Take foundation and lipstick and there’s no problem!” - do you know this story?

“Well, don’t bother, - herpes! Nothing special! You were chilled from the wind, that’s all! You will be ok in a couple of days! Take foundation and lipstick and there’s no problem!” - do you know this story? You had cold sore on lips many times and you know for sure it will disappear soon??¦ But why are you thinking about the fact that herpes can be not only a cosmetic defect, but also much more serious problem? Are these little transparent blisters on lips or skin so safe that you can ignore them? And what’s herpes in general? Where it comes from and whether you need to cure it?
 
Herpes is a very popular disease on our planet, it is diagnosed in 50-80% of Europeans, and infection rate reaches 100% in Asian countries. It strikes both men and women. And age of sick people is 20-29 years on average??¦
 
At the same time, herpes simplex virus is quite guileful: it does not prove itself for a long time, and once it can become a reason not only of temporary cosmetic troubles, but also much more serious health problems. Up to 30% of miscarriages in early pregnancy are connected right with this virus, it also leads to termination of late pregnancy in in 50% of cases, including fetal death several days before delivery. Herpes simplex virus takes second place after roseola among viruses, causing formation of birth defects and congenital malformations of fetus inside of uterus. It caused by destructive influence of virus on fetal organs and tissues.
 
Pregnant woman, infected with HSV runs risk to infect her baby in 40% of cases. Virus can penetrate to fetus through placenta or from infected vagina and cervix, and also from abdominal cavity through fallopian tubes. 85% of babies are infected during delivery, coming through mother’s infected genital tracts or while premature discharge of amniotic fluid, what is fraught with development of infantile cerebral paralysis, epilepsy, ablepsia, deafness etc. in babies. And only 5% of babies are infected in uterus.
 
Death-rate of newborns, infected with herpes, reaches 5-70%, and only 15% of survived remain healthy.
Now role of this virus in development of inflammatory diseases of central nervous system (including brain), ENT-organs, respiratory tract, cardio-vascular system, alimentary canal and urinogenital tract is already incontestable.
 
According to World Health Organization, genital herpes tales third place among sexually transmitted diseases today. In serious cases HSV strikes several systems of organism at once, including immune, nervous systems, what, finally, can become a reason of disability. Scientists determined that herpes viruses contribute to quicker and more serious passing of HIV-infection in sick people. HSV also plays a certain role in development of some oncological processes??¦
 
Nowadays there’re more than 100 herpes viruses, 8 of which are dangerous to health.
 
Herpes simplex virus of type 1 (HSV1) is the most popular one, infection can penetrate into organism, like flu or while close contact with skin or mucous membranes of sick person. As a rule, infection takes place in childhood or teen age, although it can be hidden.
 
Infection with herpes simplex virus of type 2 (HSV2) most often happens during initial period of sexual life. Virus is passed while contact with affected skin, oral and genital mucosa, and also though sperm, eyes and lungs. For married couples, where only one partner has such infection, risk of second partner’s infection is 10% per year.
 
Probability of genitals contamination while oral-genital contacts through saliva, if one partner has facial herpes, and due to house infection through bed-clothes, personal hygiene means, and also while various medical manipulations. But still, genital herpes contamination, when genitals are affected, take place through sex in 99%.
 
It is traditionally considered that HSV1 is localized on upper half of body (up to waist), striking facial skin, lips, mouth cavity and cornea, and HSV2 localizes below waist, causing genital diseases. But nowadays this partition is not so clear already.
 
Herpes simplex virus of type 3 causes chicken pox and zoster. Herpes simplex virus of type 4 is also called Epstein-Barr virus. This is one of most dangerous viruses. It can cause various oncological diseases of glands, tongue and other organs. Herpes simplex virus of type 6 can also lead to oncological diseases. It also causes chronic fatigue syndrome. Virus of type 5 - is a reason of cytomegalovirus infection, which is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it can lead not only to miscarriages and premature birth, but also cause formation of serious defects in a newborn baby’s development. Herpes viruses of types 7 and 8 are still not studied very well, but it is known already now that they also predispose to cancer diseases.
 
Herpes virus penetrates to organism through mucous membranes or microscopic traumas on skin (cuts, pricks, scratches), and then are passed through blood and lymph to all human systems. Herpes “accumulates” on nervous cells and moves towards central nervous system slowly, where it “settles” for term of life.
 
Presence of one herpes virus type in organism does not exclude the possibility of contamination with other its type.
 
The first one, who meets virus inside human organism, is immune system, protecting organism from various infections. Further life if virus depends on immune system’s strength.
 
This explains the fact that very often - in 90% of cases - herpes causes no complaints in a sick person or any other clinical displays of a disease. In 9% of people infection can be displayed through insignificant indisposition, weakness, tiredness and other symptoms we usually ignore. And only in 1% of cases all strongly marked symptoms of a disease are observed.
 
As a rule, these are small blisters with transparent contents on skin and mucous membranes, which cause itch, burning and tension of affected area. Most often itch and burning appear 1-2 days before appearance of blisters, which burst and dry in a while. However, virus does not leave organism, but just “falls asleep”. A number of factors contribute to its “awakening” and repeated appearance of symptoms (relapse).
 
They include:
 
-          supercooling
-          infections
-          stress
-          physical and psychic overstrain
-          menstruation
-          ultraviolet radiation
-          alcohol
-          some medicines
 
On average about 5 relapses of a disease take place during a year, and herpes, as a rule, strikes same areas. If immune system is weakened, eruptions can appear on several skin areas and mucous membranes.
If genitals are affected, symptoms appear 1-10 days after contamination. Sick person has slightly heightened temperature, as a rule up to 38C. This is accompanied by general indisposition, weakness, groin glands become bigger and rather painful.
 
Groups of small blisters on red skin areas appear on genitals. During this period itch, burning and even pain not only in the area of affected zone, but also in waist, sacrum, lower part of belly will be general complaints. In a couple of days blisters burst, small erosions and even ulcers can appear on their places, which are later covered with scabs.
 
Duration of genital herpes, appeared in a person for the first time, can reach 3-5 weeks.
 
Who should obligatory pass test on herpes viruses?
 
-          women, planning pregnancy
-          pregnant women, if they notice eruptions and complaints, similar to herpes.
-          pregnant and normal women, men,  if they find sings of genital herpes in them or their partners.
-          women and men with urogenital system diseases, which cannot be cured by antibiotics (cystitis, urethritis, cervicitis in women)
-          newborns with signs of herpes.
 
If you plan pregnancy, you should pass complex observation on presence of herpes infection in organism and undergo a course of medical treatment.
 
By the way, situation, when a woman had no contact with herpes infection before pregnancy, is more dangerous, than situation, when she was acquainted with herpes signs already. It is “first meeting” of organism with this virus, if it takes place during pregnancy, that can cause irreparable damage to passing of pregnancy and baby development.
 
Unfortunately, nowadays it’s impossible to get rid of herpes virus completely even with help of best medicines, but you can prevent exacerbation in most undesirable moment for it or cure its displays. Herpes treatment includes medicines, oppressing virus replication, and also preparations, increasing body defenses.  
 
This is always an individual therapy, which considers displays and localization of a disease, its phase, state of immune system, presence of pathology of a person’s organs, allergic tune of organism in every separate case. For pregnant women there’s a whole system of remedial actions.
 
Don’t also forget about, it would seem, banal measures to strengthen body defenses: tempering, appropriate physical load, balanced nutrition, rich in vitamins and microelements, refusal from smoking and alcohol. Observation of all these well-known rules will definitely play a decisive role in unequal struggle of immune system with different infections.