Herpes - types, characteristics, methods of treatment

As a rule, herpes called the rashes on the lips, the so-called "cold".But in fact there are 8 types of herpes that have their own peculiarities of the flow, the distinctive features of the clinical picture and the methods of treatment.

The cause of herpes is a very contagious virus that is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one.Despite what type of herpes is present in the human body, this disease is characterized by a period of latent flow - the symptoms of the disease appear only at a time when the human immunity is sufficiently weakened.

Herpes viruses are common not only among people, but also in nature.This is due to a high level of viral survival outside the mucous membranes or biomaterial - even in a room at room temperature the herpes virus lives for another 24 hours.

Table of contents:

Type 1 herpes simplex

In the literature this type of considered disease is referred to as HSV-1( herpes simplex virus type 1) and can be called oral or labial herpes.Typical localization for this type of herpes is the lips and nasolabial triangle, and infection can occur in the first years of the child's life.

If a person has diagnosed HIV, the herpes virus affects

• skin of the fingers on the upper and lower extremities - more often doctors observe the defeat of the nail roller;
• mucous membrane of the oral cavity, internal organs, eyes and nasal cavity;
• tissue of the nervous system.

Characteristic features of the herpes simplex virus 1 are:

• development of diseases of the nervous system;
• suppression of immunity;
• lesion of cells of the nervous system.

Symptoms of herpes simplex

The most characteristic sign of the type of herpes is the eruption on the lips - small bubbles appear with liquid contents inside, they grow and eventually either self-decay or burst. In addition to this feature, doctors note common intoxication symptoms:

• pain syndrome in the muscle tissues;
• general weakness and drowsiness;
• temperature increase;
• headaches of a short-term nature.

Note: if infection of herpes simplex type 1 occurred with oral-genital contact, then rashes, as the most pronounced symptom, will be noted on the mucous genitalia.

Diagnostic measures

This type of herpes is diagnosed either by the patient's complaints and the characteristic symptom( rashes on the lips or mucous of the genitals) or during an examination of the body for some other reason. The physician within the framework of diagnostic procedures is obliged:

• to determine the type of causative agent that provoked the development of herpes simplex type 1;
• differentiate the pathogen;
• determine at what stage of the disease the patient sought medical help.

Treatment of herpes simplex

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In general, therapy against herpes viruses has some features:

• no preventive medicines are available;
• herpes viruses are absolutely insensitive to antibacterial drugs( antibiotics);
• complete destruction of the virus is impossible;
• if the course of the herpes simplex virus 1 is of a simple type, it is short-lived, then the use of any medications is impractical.

One of the medicines that can have a truly curative effect is Acyclovir.It is sold in pharmacies in various pharmacological forms - tablets, ointments, solutions.If you use this medication strictly according to the instructions, it will ensure a reduction in the number of recurrences of herpes simplex 1 manifestations and shorten the treatment time for already visible symptoms.

Note: if a person has a characteristic rash on the lips, then it is necessary to exclude close contact with other people - it's about kissing.Otherwise, the herpes simplex virus 1 will necessarily be transmitted to the body of a healthy person.

Herpesvirus type 2

In the specialized literature, this type of considered disease is classified as genital herpes.Both men and women suffer from it, the cause of infection is unprotected sex, however, the herpesvirus type 2 can "settle" in the human body, even with full caution during sex.

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Treatment of this type of herpes should only be carried out under the supervision of a doctor and after a thorough examination of narrow specialists.In addition to Acyclovir patients with diagnosed herpes of type 2, doctors prescribe a whole range of therapeutic measures - an independent choice of drugs is inappropriate.

Herpes of type 3( varicella-zoster virus)

The same disease in medicine is called both the varicella-zoster virus and the herpes zoster virus.In the human body, it gets airborne, and if it's a child, then it will develop chicken pox.The ill person remains for a lifetime the carrier of the virus, with its localization in the cells of the nervous tissue.

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In some cases, the "hushed" herpesvirus type 3 in a child may reappear already at an older age, and the clinical picture in this case will have the character of herpes zoster.

Symptoms of herpesvirus type 3

If the infection with the type of herpes considered was "forced" on a child's body, the following symptoms will be highlighted:

• high body temperature, chills;
• rashes on the skin in the form of vesicles;
• is a strong, intolerable itch of the skin.

Typically, in childhood, the herpes simplex virus type 3 quickly passes into an inactive state, localized in cells of nerve tissues.Usually, the virus in question does not manifest itself in any way, but in some cases( a decrease in immunity, too long a course of chronic diseases, etc.), the herpesvirus type 3 is manifested by shingles. And then in this case the following symptoms will occur:

• body temperature increase;
• pain along the nerve trunks, which lasts a maximum of 12 days;
• puffiness of the skin, redness of individual skin areas;
• appearance of specific eruptions( vesicles) - this occurs on average 3 days after the appearance of the first two listed symptoms.

As a rule, after 2-3 weeks, all signs of herpes zoster disappear, and small scars remain at the site of the rashes - depressions / pits with smoothed edges.

Treatment of the herpesvirus type 3

There is no specific treatment for the type of disease under consideration - doctors conduct examination of the patient, prescribe symptomatic therapy.In childhood, it is antipyretic drugs and drugs that reduce the itching of the skin.With shingles - pain relievers, antipyretic, and in case of detection of concomitant inflammatory diseases - antibacterial drugs.

Herpes type 4( Epstein-Barra virus)

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This type of herpes is referred to in the medical literature as the Epstein-Barr virus.It provokes the development of infectious mononucleosis, which is typical for people with diagnosed immunodeficiencies.

Symptoms of the herpesvirus type 4 and treatment

Infectious mononucleosis is a lesion of the mucous membranes of the mouth and lymph nodes, is more common in young people.The main signs of this disease are high body temperature, morphological changes in blood structure, pathological changes in the spleen, liver and other internal organs.

The most common symptoms of herpes simplex type 4:

• body temperature rises suddenly, for no apparent reason and immediately to critical levels;
• receives complaints of pain in the muscles, joints, throat and head;
• oral mucosa swells, swells - doctors can differentially diagnose pharyngitis and / or laryngitis;
• feeling of constant fatigue, fast-onset fatigue, drowsiness - these symptoms can persist even after treatment of the disease for several more months;
• on the skin and mucous surface appear small rashes of papular type, which after 3 days disappear completely;
• lymph nodes significantly increase in size.

Diagnostic measures consist in carrying out a full-fledged examination of the patient and a laboratory study of his biomaterial - specialists identify the DNA of the Epstein-Barr virus.

Please note: is the virus that can trigger the development of an oncological disease - Burkitt's lymphoma.Therefore, treatment should only take place in a medical institution, under constant supervision of medical workers .

Type 5 herpes( cytomegalovirus)

The herpesvirus type 5 causes the disease of cytomegalovirus.It is noteworthy that the symptomatology of this disease is blurred, the pathology proceeds in a latent form, and the clinical picture begins to develop only with weakening of immunity.

Symptoms of herpesvirus type 5 and treatment

The manifestation of cytomegalovirus is identical to the course of the common cold:

• headache;
• increased body temperature;
• general weakness and drowsiness;
• sore throat when swallowing, talking and at rest.

Cytomegalovirus can manifest itself as a lesion of the central nervous system, eyes, spleen and pancreas.

Especially dangerous is the herpesvirus type 5 during pregnancy - it has an active negative effect on the fetal development of the fetus. This can provoke:

• underdevelopment of the child's brain;
• delayed the overall development of the baby;
• skin rashes in the newborn;
• inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system in a baby.

Note: treatment for herpes simplex virus type 5 is only considered during pregnancy.The expediency of preserving the fetus is determined by the doctor - if the infection occurred after conception, then this is an unconditional medical indication for the artificial termination of pregnancy.In case of infection with the virus of type 5 herpes long before the pregnancy, doctors prescribe antiviral, symptomatic therapy and treatment with immunomodulators.

Herpesvirus type 6

This type of disease under consideration is present in the etiopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.The disease is manifested in people from 20 years and older, at an earlier age, there was no diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms of

The signs of multiple sclerosis include:

• fatigue of a permanent nature;
• often recurrent depression;
• violation of sensitivity in different manifestations - tactile, temperature and others.

This lists the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis caused by the herpes simplex virus type 6, but as the disease develops, more serious signs of pathological lesions of the organs and systems of the patient appear. These include:

• rapid change of mood, disturbances in the psychoemotional background;
• reduced visual acuity, a double vision of any subject;
• stiffness;
• complete absence of pain reaction;
• urinary and fecal incontinence;
• muscle spasms, convulsions;
• unusual pronunciation of words;
• violation of the instinct of swallowing.

Note: clinical picture with herpes simplex virus type 6 can be variable - it all depends on which parts of the central nervous system are affected by the virus.This process is unpredictable, so doctors with caution determine the symptoms of the type of herpes.

Treatment of herpesvirus type 6

In the process of medical treatment, doctors use a whole range of medications:

• antioxidants;
• angioprotectors;
• corticosteroids;
• preparations with immunomodulating action;
• stimulating the production of interferon;
• immunoglobulins.

But this list is far from complete - the medicines are selected in strictly individual order and only by specialists.

Herpesvirus type 7

Most often, this herpes virus is combined with herpesvirus type 6.This combination provokes the development of the syndrome of chronic fatigue, which in fact is not a dangerous disease, and cancer of the lymphoid tissue.

Symptoms of the herpes virus type 7

This type of considered disease is characterized by the following manifestations:

• chronic sleep disorder - mainly night insomnia and daytime sleepiness;
• constant fatigue;
• subfebrile body temperature( 37-37, 5 degrees), which lasts for a long time( up to six months) and is not removed by the usual antipyretic agents;
• depressive states;
• general weakness in the absence of physical activity and nervous tension;
• lymph nodes are enlarged.

Diagnostic measures and treatment

Diagnosis of the herpes simplex virus type 7 is carried out only in the laboratory - the patient's blood is being examined. The following methods are used:

• polymerase chain reaction;
• enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay;
• immunogram.

Treatment of this type of herpes is to conduct antiviral therapy, which is aimed at strengthening immunity.

Please note: preventative measures have not yet been developed.

Herpes 8 types

Herpes simplex virus type 8 affects lymphocytes, but can be in the body for a long time absolutely healthy people.The ways of transmission of the herpes virus type 8: through the placenta from mother to child during pregnancy, during organ transplantation, can be activated during radiotherapy.

Symptoms and treatment

The herpesvirus type 8 causes several cancers:

• Kaposi's sarcoma - the formation of multiple malignancies;
• primary lymphoma - oncology with lesions of serous membranes;
• is a disease of Castleman.

Treatment of such serious cancers is carried out by using radiation therapy or surgical intervention.

All types of herpes viruses need to be treated absolutely necessary - this will determine the general state of human health.There is no safe disease, the more viral etiology - the lack of therapy can lead to irreversible pathological processes in organs and systems.

Traditional medicine in the treatment of herpes

Important: can not rely solely on traditional medicine - funds from this category can only strengthen immunity, but can not get rid of the virus.Even such quite official medicines can not cope with such a task!But to give up folk medicine is not worth it - some funds will effectively inhibit the appearance of signs of various diseases caused by herpes viruses.

Chamomile Pharmacy

3 tablespoons of dried chamomile flowers add 500 ml of boiled water and insist for 6-8 hours( preferably the preparation will be prepared overnight).The resulting infusion can be ingested 1 tablespoon immediately after a meal - this will help to quickly remove the inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract and restore immunity during the cold.

If you have symptoms of herpes simplex type 1, namely, rashes on the lips, then in the received infusion of chamomile, you need to moisten a gauze napkin and make lotions.This will speed up the healing process of the "cold" on the lips, and if there is a purulent inflammation, the chamomile will "pull out" all the liquid.

Licorice root

This plant is brewed in the same proportions as the chamomile pharmacy.But folk healers and doctors with education warn that too much tea can not be drunk.The maximum allowable dosage is 500 ml per day, and not with a volley, but with a few tricks.

Note: licorice root can provoke severe poisoning, so the drug on its basis is strictly forbidden to use during pregnancy, with diagnosed hypertension and kidney failure.

Tansy

This plant acts on the herpes virus from the inside, so the effect is quite impressive.Some healers recommend eating 2 flowers of this plant in knocking and so treated for 2 weeks, and then take a break for 10-15 days.

You can make a decoction of stems and leaves of tansy - 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials per cup of boiling water, boiled broth for 10 minutes with a weak boil.Take a decoction of tansy 1 teaspoon once a day after meals.

You can use the same decoction for external use - lubricate the affected areas of the skin, make lotions.

Oils in the treatment of herpes

For the treatment of rashes with herpes effective will be the use of various oils - tea tree, fir, camphor.During the appearance of such a manifestation of herpes of any type, just lubricate 3-4 times a day affected areas of skin.

Please note: any prescription medicine from the category of traditional medicine can not be used in the treatment of herpes without first consulting a doctor.First, it is necessary to exclude banal hypersensitivity and / or individual intolerance.Secondly, the above medicinal plants have a sufficiently powerful therapeutic effect and in some cases can provoke a deterioration in health.Thirdly, it is necessary to exclude / confirm the presence of concomitant herpes diseases in order to chart the direction of the therapeutic course.

Herpes is often a nearly harmless disease, but there are types of this virus that can become really dangerous not only for the health, but also for the patient's life.Only consultation of the doctor and competent, timely rendered, medical help will help patients.

Yana Tsygankova, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category.