Herpes: Where did Mine Come From and What Do I Do About It ?
For most people, the diagnosis of genital herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus 2 or HSV2) is a shock. For others, the diagnosis maybe a confirmation of suspicions they have had about their own health or their partner’s behavior. Seeking to answer the question of how the patient contracted the condition often leads to a search for blame and then self-recrimination. Living with herpes is something that initially may take some psychological adjustment for some patients. It need not mean the end of your sex life or that you will need to remain celibate for the rest of your life.
Firstly HSV2 and HSV1, better known as the cold sore virus, are just two of a related group of seven viruses that are known to infect humans. Others include the Varicella-Zoster virus, commonly known as chicken pox and shingles. Diagnosis of infection with either HSV1 or 2 can be established with a blood test known as the Western Blot test; the upside of this test is that a patient who does not have active lesions may be diagnosed through the presence of antibodies to either strain. Accuracy of this test is only 90-95% depending on...