Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection with the herpes simplex virus.

What is genital herpes?

Genital herpes is a contagious usually sexually transmitted infection that causes sores and blisters on the genitals. The infection is caused by a virus called Herpes Simplex Virus.

Herpes simplex comes in two varieties:

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which is most often found on the lips, where it is also known as cold sores.

• Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which typically causes blisters and sores on the genitals.

Both types can be localized to the face and genitals, herpes infection on the mouth is also called herpes labialis, where herpes on the genitals is called herpes genitalis.

Over 80% of the adult population in Denmark is infected with herpes type 1, around 20% are infected with herpes type 2.

Mental and physical stress, such as illness that weakens the immune system, can trigger a herpes outbreak. Women’s hormonal cycle and sexual activity can also trigger outbreaks.

How is herpes transmitted?

Herpes is transmitted through close physical contact, typically during intercourse, anal sex and/or oral sex.

After an infection, the virus lies dormant in the body's nerve endings and upon reactivation, the virus is transported via the nerve fibers to the skin and causes new outbreaks.

Some people who become infected with herpes will not have symptoms and will therefore not know that they are carriers of the herpes virus.

The risk of infection is greatest when you have an outbreak, but you cannot completely disregard transmission of the virus between outbreaks.

In the event of a herpes outbreak with blisters, sores or tears in the mucous membrane and skin of the genitals, you should refrain from having sex until the symptoms are gone. If there are sores in the mouth, you should refrain from kissing and oral sex until the sores have healed.

Condoms protect against herpes infection if the infected area is covered by the condom.

What are the symptoms?

Not everyone will experience symptoms immediately after infection.

Genital herpes will most often appear as small groups of painful blisters and sores on the mucous membrane or skin of the genitals. The blisters burst quickly and turn into small sores that heal within 2–3 weeks.

The first outbreak of herpes is usually the worst. There may be multiple sores and swollen lymph nodes in the groin, and you may have flu-like symptoms with fever and generally feeling unwell.

Genital herpes can also present itself atypically as fissures or eczema-like elements that tend to come back in the same place.

How to treat herpes?

There is no cure for herpes, but antiviral medication can reduce symptoms and shorten the outbreak.

To get the full effect of the treatment, it must be started as soon as possible after noticing symptoms. It is therefore a good idea to have a pack of medicine on hand or make sure that you have a prescription ready to pick up at the pharmacy.

People who have 6 or more outbreaks per year can be offered preventive treatment and thereby avoid outbreaks.

Pregnant women and newborns

If a pregnant woman has never had genital herpes before, and their partner is known to have cold sores or genital herpes, they should use a condom and avoid oral sex in the last weeks of pregnancy. If the newborn is infected at birth, the child can get a life-threatening herpes infection.

If the pregnant woman had genital herpes before pregnancy, the newborn child will rarely be infected.

Infants should not come into close contact with people who have an outbreak of cold sores. This is because there is a risk that the child may become infected.