About Genital Herpes


Are you concerned about genital herpes?
Your doctor can help answer any questions you may have, and inform you about the ongoing support available. Bring the list of questions to ask your doctor featured on this site to your next appointment.

Genital Herpes: Fast Facts

What is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is a sexually-transmitted infection (STI)6 that is passed on through close, physical skin-to-skin contact.7 It is caused by a virus called the herpes simplex virus (HSV).6

There are two types of HSV: Type 1 (known as HSV-1) and Type 2 (known as HSV-2).8

  • HSV-1 is the more common form of the virus1, causing cold sores around the mouth.8 HSV-1 is also the cause of an increasing number of genital herpes infections1 because a person with a cold sore can transmit the virus to his/her partner's genitals during oral sex.5
  • HSV-2 is the most common cause of genital herpes, causing sores and blisters on or near the genitals or anus.5 It is usually transmitted through genital-to-genital contact.9

NOTE: Both types can cause sores either on the lips or genitals8 (although HSV-2 rarely occurs orally).2


References
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  1. Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections; Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Infections. 2008 Edition. Available at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/guide-lignesdir-eng.php. Accessed Sept. 27, 2010.
  2. Gupta R and Wald A. Genital Herpes: antiviral therapy for symptom relief and prevention of transmission. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2006;7(6):665-675.
  3. Public Health Agency of Canada. Condoms, Sexually transmitted infections, Safer Sex and You. Available at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/epiu-aepi/std-mts/condom-eng.php. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  4. Sacks SL. The Truth About Herpes. 4th ed. West Vancouver, BC: Gordon Soules Book Publishers Ltd.;1997.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Fact Sheet - Genital Herpes. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  6. Health Canada. It's Your Health: Genital Herpes. Available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/alt_formats/pacrb-dgapcr/pdf/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/herpes-eng.pdf. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  7. Whitley RJ, Kimberlin DW and Roizman B. Herpes Simplex Viruses. Clinical Infectious Diseases 1998;26:541-55.
  8. College of Family Physicians of Canada. Herpes - What it is and how to deal with it. Available at: Ask Your Family Doctor College of Family Physicians of Canada. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  9. Public Health Agency of Canada. Genital Herpes: The Epidemiology and Control of a Common Sexually Transmitted Disease. Can J Human Sexuality 1997;6. Available at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/cjhs/cjhs5-eng.php. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  10. Cusini M and Ghislanzoni M. The importance of diagnosing genital herpes. J Antimicro Chemo 2001;47(Topic T1):9-16.
  11. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. Sexually Transmitted Infections: What are they? Genital Herpes. Available at: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/sti-1-3.aspx. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  12. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: Genital Herpes. Available at: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/genitalHerpes/understanding/Pages/symptoms.aspx. Accessed Aug. 16, 2010.
  13. Wald A, Zeh J, Selke S et al. Virologic Characteristics of Subclinical and Symptomatic Genital Herpes Infections. NEJM 1995;333(12):770-775.
  14. Wald A, Zeh J, Selke S et al. Genital Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus among Men. Journal of Infectious Diseases 2002;186(Suppl 1):S34-S39.
  15. Lautenschlager S, Eichmann A. The heterogeneous clinical spectrum of genital herpes. Dermatology. 2001;202(3):211-9.