There are tests available for herpes, but sometimes they turn up negative. When there is an obvious discharge or an open sore, a sample of the fluid can be looked under an electron microscope. The test does require extensive preparation of the sample to be looked at under the microscope. In many cases, the test does end up as a negative. Checking for a virus under a microscope is not routine practice.
There is a blood test whereby one can check for antibodies to the virus. When the herpes virus infection is acute, the body’s immune system will react by making antibodies which react towards the virus. These antibodies can be checked in blood.
The blood test is most sensitive when there is an active infection present. When the herpes infection disappears, the antibody levels fall off and are sometimes not measurable. If the blood tests reveals the presence of antibodies, than it means you may have either oral or genital herpes. If the is negative, it simply means that you may have the virus, but the levels of antibody are too small to be detected. In other words you do not have an acute infection at the moment.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
How do i know if i have herpes?
Herpes simplex is very common in the North American population. You may have herpes but not have any symptoms. The virus generally hides in nerves and flares up periodically. Not everyone who acquires herpes has symptoms. In fact the majority of people who do have herpes (and you could be one of them) have no idea if they have the virus.
Herpes virus (type 1) is easily contracted from kissing an affected individual or having sex. Some individuals may deny having sex but there are not many people who have not been kissed! So chances are that you may not have genital herpes if you have not had sex, but more than likely you may have oral herpes.
Oral herpes is extremely common and simple contact of sores with hands or the mouth can easily transfer the virus to the unsuspecting individual. Estimates from infectious disease data indicate that close to 60-80 percent of adults in North America have oral herpes.
Genital or type 2 herpes is slightly less common but there are still a lot of adults who have this virus. The virus is easily acquired during sex and estimates indicate that close to 20-30 percent of the population has this virus.
The majority of individuals who have herpes do not even know they have it. And if you do not know, you play a role in the spread of the virus. Eventually the virus will cause symptoms and then you will definitely know if you have herpes.
Herpes virus (type 1) is easily contracted from kissing an affected individual or having sex. Some individuals may deny having sex but there are not many people who have not been kissed! So chances are that you may not have genital herpes if you have not had sex, but more than likely you may have oral herpes.
Oral herpes is extremely common and simple contact of sores with hands or the mouth can easily transfer the virus to the unsuspecting individual. Estimates from infectious disease data indicate that close to 60-80 percent of adults in North America have oral herpes.
Genital or type 2 herpes is slightly less common but there are still a lot of adults who have this virus. The virus is easily acquired during sex and estimates indicate that close to 20-30 percent of the population has this virus.
The majority of individuals who have herpes do not even know they have it. And if you do not know, you play a role in the spread of the virus. Eventually the virus will cause symptoms and then you will definitely know if you have herpes.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Surgical methods to remove venereal warts
The initial treatment of venereal warts is usually medical. However, sometimes the wart may be bleeding or may be too large and surgery is another option of treating venereal warts. Surgery is also an ideal method for pregnant females if do not want to have the baby exposed to venereal warts. Today, there are several decent surgical options for removing venereal warts. These options include the following:
Cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen). In this method, liquid nitrogen is applied with a Q-tip on the wart. The initial treatment is not painful but as the wart starts to breakdown, the skin does become sensitive. The skin will blister and the wart will slowly slough off. One goes to a skin clinic where the physician applied liquid nitrogen 1-2 times a week. One needs long-term treatment which usually averages anywhere from 8-16 weeks. While the treatment is effective, it does tend to hurt in the later stages.
Electrocautery- this is just another fancy name for a heated electrical current to be applied to the wart. It is definitely painful. The treatment is effective but most people cannot tolerate the pain. The physician may apply a cooling gel o r a local anesthetic, but electrical current is still painful. It usually feels like a hot needle which is plunged into your skin (teach you not to fool around without a condom next time)
Surgery: Sometimes the wart may just be hanging off a stalk and can easily be excised. Most of these small warts can be removed with the use of local anesthesia. However, some warts located near the vagina or anus can be difficult to remove with only local anesthesia- the pain can be significant.
Laser: Today lasers are used of everything except cooking food. The laser generates an intense beam of light that generates energy. The laser can cut as well as kill the wart cells. Large warts requires multiple sessions. While laser is good, it hurts like hell and is very expensive. It is usually not the first method of choice. Most physicians reserve the laser for large warts that have failed other treatments.
Once a wart has been treated, there is no guarantee that it will not come back. All these treatments do not actually kill the virus, just the wart cells.
Cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen). In this method, liquid nitrogen is applied with a Q-tip on the wart. The initial treatment is not painful but as the wart starts to breakdown, the skin does become sensitive. The skin will blister and the wart will slowly slough off. One goes to a skin clinic where the physician applied liquid nitrogen 1-2 times a week. One needs long-term treatment which usually averages anywhere from 8-16 weeks. While the treatment is effective, it does tend to hurt in the later stages.
Electrocautery- this is just another fancy name for a heated electrical current to be applied to the wart. It is definitely painful. The treatment is effective but most people cannot tolerate the pain. The physician may apply a cooling gel o r a local anesthetic, but electrical current is still painful. It usually feels like a hot needle which is plunged into your skin (teach you not to fool around without a condom next time)
Surgery: Sometimes the wart may just be hanging off a stalk and can easily be excised. Most of these small warts can be removed with the use of local anesthesia. However, some warts located near the vagina or anus can be difficult to remove with only local anesthesia- the pain can be significant.
Laser: Today lasers are used of everything except cooking food. The laser generates an intense beam of light that generates energy. The laser can cut as well as kill the wart cells. Large warts requires multiple sessions. While laser is good, it hurts like hell and is very expensive. It is usually not the first method of choice. Most physicians reserve the laser for large warts that have failed other treatments.
Once a wart has been treated, there is no guarantee that it will not come back. All these treatments do not actually kill the virus, just the wart cells.
Aldara to Treat Venereal Warts part 2
Aldara cream should not be used by individuals who have allergies to any of the components in the cream.
During the time, Aldara is applied, sexual activity of all type is not recommended, and this means no oral, anal, or vaginal sex. For a female, great care should be exercised when the cream is applied near the vagina. It should not be applied anywhere on the inside of the vagina otherwise considerable pain and swelling can occur.
Males who are uncircumcised and have warts under the foreskin should retract the foreskin and clean the area on a daily basis
Aldara is not a cure for genital warts and new warts can occur after and during therapy
Because aldara may weaken condoms and vaginal diaphragms, it is recommended that these devices be used as a method of birth control. Because the effects of Aldara on the fetus are unknown, pregnant females and those who are breast feeding should avoid using the drug.
Aldara is only recommended for individuals over the age of 12
Aldara is not a cheap drug. It is not covered Medicare or any medical insurance plan. A 12 pack costs anywhere from $125-$175.
For those who do not have that kind of money, perhaps liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) may be an alternative- cheap but a wee bit painful especially if the wart is large.
During the time, Aldara is applied, sexual activity of all type is not recommended, and this means no oral, anal, or vaginal sex. For a female, great care should be exercised when the cream is applied near the vagina. It should not be applied anywhere on the inside of the vagina otherwise considerable pain and swelling can occur.
Males who are uncircumcised and have warts under the foreskin should retract the foreskin and clean the area on a daily basis
Aldara is not a cure for genital warts and new warts can occur after and during therapy
Because aldara may weaken condoms and vaginal diaphragms, it is recommended that these devices be used as a method of birth control. Because the effects of Aldara on the fetus are unknown, pregnant females and those who are breast feeding should avoid using the drug.
Aldara is only recommended for individuals over the age of 12
Aldara is not a cheap drug. It is not covered Medicare or any medical insurance plan. A 12 pack costs anywhere from $125-$175.
For those who do not have that kind of money, perhaps liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) may be an alternative- cheap but a wee bit painful especially if the wart is large.
Aldara to Treat Venereal Warts
Aldara is the brand name for imiquimod, which is an immunomodulator type of drug. It is available as a 5% cream and used to treat a variety of skin conditions including venereal warts. For some unknown reason, it only works on genital warts and not the common warts.
For venereal warts, the area should first be cleaned and dried. The surrounding skin should be protected by some Vaseline or moisturizing cream. Aldara cream can be applied on the wart with a Q-tip. The cream is best applied at night and allowed to remain for 6-10 hours. In the morning, the area should be thoroughly rinsed. Almost all individual do develop some type of skin reaction that varies from moderate to severe.
The skin may show an intense redness, weeping or peeling after the first few applications. In some individuals, aldara may also cause general fatigue, fever, nausea and muscle pain. For those who develop serious skin flare ups, use of aldara should be discounted.
After application of aldara cream, one should avoid the sun because of the increased sunburn sensitivity. Suntan should be avoided until the skin has completely healed and aldara has been discontinued.
The cream is usually applied 3 times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and most individuals begin to see a clearing of the warts in 8-12 weeks.
For venereal warts, the area should first be cleaned and dried. The surrounding skin should be protected by some Vaseline or moisturizing cream. Aldara cream can be applied on the wart with a Q-tip. The cream is best applied at night and allowed to remain for 6-10 hours. In the morning, the area should be thoroughly rinsed. Almost all individual do develop some type of skin reaction that varies from moderate to severe.
The skin may show an intense redness, weeping or peeling after the first few applications. In some individuals, aldara may also cause general fatigue, fever, nausea and muscle pain. For those who develop serious skin flare ups, use of aldara should be discounted.
After application of aldara cream, one should avoid the sun because of the increased sunburn sensitivity. Suntan should be avoided until the skin has completely healed and aldara has been discontinued.
The cream is usually applied 3 times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and most individuals begin to see a clearing of the warts in 8-12 weeks.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Treatment of warts with podophyllotoxin
Many physicians use the substance podophyllotoxin to treat venereal warts. Podophyllin is actually a plant substance extracted from the plant podophyllum peltatum. For decades, it has been used as a medicinal compound by the North American Native Indians.
Podophyllotoxin actually prevents the wart cells from multiplying and dividing. Eventually all the wart cells die and the wart disappear.
Today Podophyllin is available only with a prescription and used as a cream or solution. It is not recommended to be used internally or for warts that are larger than a quarter.
In most cases, physicians apply the Podophyllin themselves and are reluctant to give out a prescription because the chemical is toxic. Once the skin is washed and completely dry, one should apply a cream on the normal skin. This is to prevent the Podophyllin from irritating normal skin. Then using a Q-tip the Podophyllin is applied and the wart is covered. The wart must be dry before applying the chemical. Podophyllin is applied twice a day for 3-4 consecutive days. In most cases, the treatment has to be repeated for several weeks.
In general, Podophyllin should not be applied for more than 5 weeks. Within this time period, most warts are gone. It is extremely important to make sure that the Podophyllin does not come into contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or healthy skin, inside the vagina, rectum or the urethra. If this happens, flush with water for 15-20 minutes. If inadvertent contact has been made with healthy skin, apply Vaseline or zinc ointment. Wash hands after each application and discard the Q-tip.
The first application of Podophyllin on the wart is painless but the subsequent applications do sting. This is because the wart is dying and the raw surface is exposed. Itching, pain and redness are common complaints. These effects are transient and can be reduced by applying some over the counter hydrocortisone.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not be treated with Podophyllin, as the safety of this agent has not been demonstrated on the fetus.
Podophyllin is a great drug for warts as long as one can tolerate the subsequent pain and discomfort.
Podophyllotoxin actually prevents the wart cells from multiplying and dividing. Eventually all the wart cells die and the wart disappear.
Today Podophyllin is available only with a prescription and used as a cream or solution. It is not recommended to be used internally or for warts that are larger than a quarter.
In most cases, physicians apply the Podophyllin themselves and are reluctant to give out a prescription because the chemical is toxic. Once the skin is washed and completely dry, one should apply a cream on the normal skin. This is to prevent the Podophyllin from irritating normal skin. Then using a Q-tip the Podophyllin is applied and the wart is covered. The wart must be dry before applying the chemical. Podophyllin is applied twice a day for 3-4 consecutive days. In most cases, the treatment has to be repeated for several weeks.
In general, Podophyllin should not be applied for more than 5 weeks. Within this time period, most warts are gone. It is extremely important to make sure that the Podophyllin does not come into contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or healthy skin, inside the vagina, rectum or the urethra. If this happens, flush with water for 15-20 minutes. If inadvertent contact has been made with healthy skin, apply Vaseline or zinc ointment. Wash hands after each application and discard the Q-tip.
The first application of Podophyllin on the wart is painless but the subsequent applications do sting. This is because the wart is dying and the raw surface is exposed. Itching, pain and redness are common complaints. These effects are transient and can be reduced by applying some over the counter hydrocortisone.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not be treated with Podophyllin, as the safety of this agent has not been demonstrated on the fetus.
Podophyllin is a great drug for warts as long as one can tolerate the subsequent pain and discomfort.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Treatment of warts with trichloroacetic acid
The first thing that everyone who has warts needs to understand is that more than 1/3rd of all cases of genital warts disappear spontaneously without doing anything. For the majority of individuals who have warts that are not bothersome, the best thing to do is Nothing- and that means keep away from health care professionals.
For individuals who have warts which are causing symptoms like burning, itching, bleeding or pain, then one can seek treatment. The majority of other individuals who seek treatment have no symptoms but are bothered by appearance of warts on the genitals. The second thing that all people who have warts should know is that the HPV is never completely destroyed with treatment. The virus has an ability to hide and genital warts can recur after treatment.
The treatment options are as follows:
Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or bichloroacetic acid can be used to treat venereal warts. The acid works by destroying the top protein layer on the warts and slowly reduces growth. Trichloroacetic acid is only supposed to be applied once a week. To prevent skin irritation, it has to be applied only on the wart.
The health care professional will apply some Vaseline or a thick cream around the normal skin before applying the TCA to the warts.
TCA works about 60%-80% of the time and the effects are not immediate. In most cases, warts take anywhere from 6-10 weeks to disappear. TCA is most effective for the very small warts (< 3 mm).
When TCA is initially applied on the wart, it does sting for a few minutes. Individuals who have sensitive skin should be forewarned, TCA can cause moderate pain, severe irritation and blister formation it if gets on normal skin. Individuals who have large warts > 5 mm, should not apply TCA. TCA can be quite painful when more of it is applied to skin.
Because of the potential for complications, TCA applications for warts is only performed by health care professionals. Home use of high strength TCA is not recommended.
For individuals who have warts which are causing symptoms like burning, itching, bleeding or pain, then one can seek treatment. The majority of other individuals who seek treatment have no symptoms but are bothered by appearance of warts on the genitals. The second thing that all people who have warts should know is that the HPV is never completely destroyed with treatment. The virus has an ability to hide and genital warts can recur after treatment.
The treatment options are as follows:
Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or bichloroacetic acid can be used to treat venereal warts. The acid works by destroying the top protein layer on the warts and slowly reduces growth. Trichloroacetic acid is only supposed to be applied once a week. To prevent skin irritation, it has to be applied only on the wart.
The health care professional will apply some Vaseline or a thick cream around the normal skin before applying the TCA to the warts.
TCA works about 60%-80% of the time and the effects are not immediate. In most cases, warts take anywhere from 6-10 weeks to disappear. TCA is most effective for the very small warts (< 3 mm).
When TCA is initially applied on the wart, it does sting for a few minutes. Individuals who have sensitive skin should be forewarned, TCA can cause moderate pain, severe irritation and blister formation it if gets on normal skin. Individuals who have large warts > 5 mm, should not apply TCA. TCA can be quite painful when more of it is applied to skin.
Because of the potential for complications, TCA applications for warts is only performed by health care professionals. Home use of high strength TCA is not recommended.
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