Such a nuisance as herpes has been known to many since childhood. These are ugly rashes that appear most often near the lips. In fact, herpes is a viral infection, which is not at all harmless, as many people think. This is a disease that is caused by herpes viruses of the 1st and 2nd types. The disease manifests itself in the form of several bubbles with liquid contents, which are grouped in one place. The foci of infection can be not only the lips. Herpes also appears on the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and genitals.
Symptomatics
In most cases, primary infection can occur without visible symptoms. Diagnosis of herpesvirus infection can take place only after the appearance of external signs of the disease. During an exacerbation, some people experience an increase in body temperature, lethargy appears, and sleep is disturbed. In addition, lymph nodes may swell.
The classic symptom of herpes is the appearance of a watery rash. Localization of rashes depends on the type of virus. Most often, as you know, on the lips occursherpesvirus infection. Symptoms of such a plan indicate infection with a type 1 virus. Herpes simplex virus type 2 is most often localized on the mucous membrane of the genital organs. Inflammation appears in the form of small watery pimples. A few days after the rash forms, the pimples burst, forming erosion. Open wounds dry out and crust over. Most often, no traces of rashes remain at all.
Herpesvirus infection is characterized by itching and pain at the site of inflammation. If the rash appears on the oral mucosa, it becomes difficult for the patient to chew. During an exacerbation, you have to eat well-ground food.
In case of primary infection, the incubation period can last from 2 to 7 days. Chronic herpesvirus infection is not transmitted by airborne droplets.
How can you get infected?
Genital herpes can only be transmitted sexually. In this case, the infected partner most often does not even suspect that he has the disease. After all, some people only tolerate herpes infection. A he althy lifestyle and a strong immune system do the trick. Carriers of the infection may not develop rashes at all.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 can be transmitted through saliva, bedding and personal belongings of an infected person. A sick mother can infect her baby during childbirth. At the same time, herpesvirus infection in children will not appear until a certain age.
There is an increased chance of infection during blood transfusions,organ transplants or by normal contact with the patient's mucosa. But infection can only occur if the disease is in an acute stage.
Today, 90% of the world's population has a herpes virus infection. But the manifestations disturb only 20%. The rest are only carriers of the disease and are not even aware of it.
Causes of inflammation
Most often the virus is in the body in an inactive state. Some factors can provoke the awakening of the infection. The result is painful inflammation. The most common cause of herpes can be a decrease in immunity. Rashes are formed after hypothermia or a recent cold. Herpesvirus infection in children can occur after vaccination. Various medical manipulations often contribute to the awakening of the virus. In women, rashes often occur after abortions and the introduction of an intrauterine device.
Psychological factors also contribute to the development of the disease. Herpes on the lips can appear after suffering stress. It has been observed that frequent scandals in the family also contribute to the awakening of the virus.
A serious factor is hormonal changes in the body. In children, problems often begin during puberty. Women during pregnancy are also at risk.
Main types of herpes
Depending on the location and method of spread, herpesvirus infection is divided into several types. Type 1 infectionmost often manifested on the lips, mucous membranes of the mouth and nose. This type is by far the most common. Quite often, such rashes are confused with a cold. This is due to the fact that the disease begins to manifest itself after hypothermia or during exacerbations of seasonal epidemics.
A simple virus of the second type is genital herpes. It can be transmitted sexually or through the blood. A person who is promiscuous can spread the disease even before they themselves have the first symptoms. And if the carrier of the virus is a pregnant woman, the probability of infection of the child during childbirth is 95%.
Few people know, but shingles and chicken pox are also herpes infections. The disease is much easier in preschool children. Most babies do not experience any discomfort at all. And chickenpox in adults can occur with elevated body temperature and many complications. A feature of this type of virus is the possibility of its exacerbation only once in a lifetime. It is impossible to get chickenpox several times.
Mononucleosis
This type of herpesvirus infection has symptoms that are not similar to the previous ones. Mononucleosis settles in the respiratory tract and is transmitted by airborne droplets. Most often, the disease affects children living in multi-storey buildings. The disease has symptoms similar to the common flu. Therefore, it is quite difficult to diagnose it.
Herpesviruseshuman infections of this type have several forms of manifestation. The most common option is SARS. In this case, the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract suffers. The most difficult is the generalized form of the disease. Herpesvirus infection can settle on the internal organs. Treatment in this case will take a fairly long period. In addition, there is the possibility of serious complications such as bronchitis, pneumonia and external rashes.
Herpes 6, 7 and 8 types
The origin of the infection of the sixth, seventh and eighth types has not been fully elucidated to date. Scientists were able to establish that type 6 herpesvirus infection most often manifests itself in external symptoms. This is a sudden rash all over the body, fever, dizziness, chronic fatigue.
There is an opinion that herpes of the seventh and eighth types is dangerous not only by external manifestations, but also by psychological disorders. So, this infection can provoke the development of schizophrenia.
Diagnosis of the disease at an early stage
To get rid of the disease even before it begins to manifest itself as unpleasant symptoms, you should consult a doctor for a preventive examination. You may need to consult an infectious disease specialist, as well as a gynecologist. Specialists will not only conduct a visual inspection, but also conduct a series of tests. If a herpes virus infection is detected in a timely manner, treatment will not take long.
The examination begins with general blood and urine tests. If athe infection is in the acute phase, these two tests will be enough to identify the disease. A number of clinical tests in the laboratory help not only to determine the presence of an infection, but also to determine its type. Additionally, a specialist can take a scraping of the mucous membrane.
If parents have such a disease, then, most likely, a herpes virus infection will appear in children. Symptoms are the reason for an extensive diagnosis. It is especially necessary to do this immediately after childbirth if the woman is a carrier of the virus.
Treatment of herpes infection
Modern science has not yet developed drugs that could completely rid mankind of herpes. Most often, persistent herpesvirus infection, that is, one that has visible manifestations, can be treated. It is possible to remove the symptoms of the disease as soon as possible. The only thing left for the patient is to take preventive medicines and lead a he althy lifestyle.
The treatment of herpesvirus infection in children deserves special attention. Many drugs have aggressive components and cannot be prescribed to babies under six years of age. The focus is on immunotherapy. It will not be possible to completely kill the herpes virus in the children's body. But to suppress it is quite real. Properly selected therapy will save the child from unpleasant symptoms.
Treatment of herpes in adults begins with the selection of appropriate antiviral drugs. Effective drugs such asFoscarnet and Acyclovir. They can not only suppress the action of the virus, but also strengthen the body's immune system. The doctor may additionally prescribe antimicrobial drugs. They are needed in order to prevent the development of pathogens in the focus of inflammation.
Therapeutic measures end with the elimination of complications of the disease. Special gels and ointments promote rapid healing of erosions and prevent the inflammatory process from developing further.
All drugs are selected strictly individually and are prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication will not only not give good results, but will also contribute to the development of complications. The specialist will be able to choose the right therapy based on the individual characteristics of the body of a particular person, as well as the type of herpes virus.
Popular drugs
The most common treatment for herpesvirus type 1 infection is Acyclovir. The medicine can be offered at the pharmacy in the form of ointment, capsules and powder for solution preparation. The ointment is quite effective when the focus of inflammation has just appeared. "Acyclovir" quickly dries herpes. The entire healing process can take up to 5 days.
"Cycloferon" is another effective tool that fights various types of herpes infection. In many pharmacies, the drug is offered in the form of drops, as well as an injection solution. The dosage is determined by the doctor depending on the characteristics of the patient's body and the stage of the disease. The drug is contraindicatedchildren, as well as women during pregnancy and lactation.
Consequences and complications
In most cases, the disease proceeds without complications and has no consequences. The appearance of small cosmetic flaws can provoke a herpes virus infection in children. Almost every pediatrician has photos of little patients who have had chickenpox. On them you can see small scars on the body and face of the kids. Such consequences appear only if the child scratches the focus of inflammation.
Problems can occur in people with reduced immunity. An unpleasant disease is ophthalmic herpes. This is an ailment that is provoked by the herpes virus type 1. If you do not seek medical help in a timely manner, herpes virus infection will reach serious proportions. Symptoms will begin to appear not only on the lips, but also on the mucous membrane of the eye. The disease is accompanied by severe itching and pain in the eyes. It becomes difficult for the patient to look at the light, vision may deteriorate. Lack of proper treatment can even lead to total blindness.
The most difficult consequence of a herpes virus infection can be brain damage - encephalitis. In rare cases, the hard shell of the brain becomes inflamed, meningitis develops. Such complications are accompanied by dizziness, severe pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness. Such a condition is dangerously fatal.
Herpes and pregnancy
During the period of bearing a child, a woman's immunity is significantly reduced. This leads to an exacerbation of the herpes virusan infection that was not previously active in the body. Women may develop more extensive rashes that will require topical treatment. At this time, drugs with a mild effect should be used. It should be remembered that all drugs affect not only the woman, but also the fetus.
Primary infection with herpes during pregnancy is fraught with miscarriage or premature birth. In the future, herpesvirus infection may also occur in children. Symptoms in a newborn may not be noticeable immediately. Therefore, it is important to conduct a timely diagnosis of the disease.
In rare cases, infection with herpes during pregnancy can lead to the birth of a dead fetus. A child with multiple lesions of internal organs may be born. Therefore, women should treat their he alth with special attention. Any suspicious symptoms should be reported to the OB/GYN immediately.
Prevention
Practically everyone today is infected with the herpes virus type 1. With it, you can perfectly exist and not have unpleasant symptoms in the form of rashes. Inflammation can only develop when immunity is reduced. Therefore, you should lead a he althy lifestyle, sleep more, forget about bad habits.
Herpesvirus infection most often begins to appear during an exacerbation of seasonal diseases. During this period, you can start taking multivitamin preparations. It would be useful to include foods rich in vitamin C in the daily diet. In the cold season, hypothermia andoverwork.
Genital herpes deserves special attention. In order to avoid its development, it is necessary to give preference to barrier methods of contraception. The condom perfectly protects not only from unwanted pregnancy, but also from numerous infections that are sexually transmitted. If unprotected intercourse did take place, you must use a local antiseptic.
