title: Managing patients with genital herpes and their sexual partners.
abstract: There is increasing recognition of the growing size and significance of the genital herpes epidemic. Recent developments in the wide-scale availability of type-specific herpes simplex virus (HSV) sero-logic assays have meant that many previously undiagnosed mild,atypical, and subclinical infections may now be diagnosed with some degree of confidence without the use of Western blots. The value of such diagnostics is controversial. However, the importance of HSV with its facilitation of HIV transmission and acquisition, the availability of various preventative strategies for limiting vertical HSV transmission, and the growing evidence that condoms, some educational and counseling interventions, and antiviral therapies may limit sexual transmission, have challenged many of the arguments against wider testing of the population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Royal South Hampshire Hospital, Southhampton, Hants, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rompalo
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012747:Sexual Partners; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents