Genital Herpes II

4. What are the symptoms?
Many infected individuals have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. When symptoms do appear about two weeks after the infection, they usually consist of one or more blisters which break into infectious sores. These heal by themselves within a few weeks. However, within another few weeks or months they may reappear in milder form, again healing by themselves, and so on. In fact, the infection stays in the body and can, from time to time, produce symptoms again, although they tend to become less severe with each new outbreak.

5. How is it diagnosed?
Genital herpes can be often be diagnosed by a doctor simply by looking at the herpes blisters and sores. Sometimes it is necessary to take a sample from these sores and to examine it in the laboratory. There are several test available that can detect the virus. In certain asymptomatic cases, blood tests can also be helpful.

6. How is it treated?
There is no cure for genital herpes at this time. However, there are medications that can suppress or greatly alleviate the symptoms. The doctor will decide in each case which of these medications should be prescribed.