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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications associated with genital herpes may include:
- Other sexually transmitted infections. Having genital sores increases your risk of transmitting or contracting other sexually transmitted infections, including the AIDS virus.
- Newborn infection. Babies born to infected mothers can be exposed to the virus during the birthing process. This may result in brain damage, blindness or death for the newborn.
- Bladder problems. In some cases, the sores associated with genital herpes can cause inflammation around the urethra, the tube that delivers urine from your bladder to the outside world. The swelling can close the urethra for several days, requiring the insertion of a catheter to drain your bladder.
- Meningitis. In rare instances, HSV infection leads to inflammation of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
- Rectal inflammation (proctitis). Genital herpes can lead to inflammation of the lining of the rectum, particularly in men who have sex with men.
References
- Genital herpes: CDC fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/STDFact-Herpes.htm. Accessed March 8, 2011.
- Genital herpes. American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp054.cfm. Accessed March 8, 2011.
- Genital herpes simplex. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Albrecht MA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Whitley RJ. Herpes simplex virus infections. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Albrecht MA. Treatment of genital herpes simplex virus infection. .http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Wald A. Prevention of genital herpes virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2011.
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