Genital herpes: therapeutic implications

Abstract

Genital infection with HSV is the most common sexually transmitted disease. Once acquired the virus (type 2) is quiescent in sensory nerve ganglia, establishing a latent infection. Seventy to eighty% of the patients infected suffer recurrences. In many cases the recurrent episodes conditioned the rest of life, causing significant morbidity physic and psychosocial. At present only acyclovir seems the effective antiviral chemotherapeutic agent for genital herpes. The experience from studies looking at long term use of the drug as suppressive therapy shows to offer good prospects for management of genital herpes and for control and prevention of his recurrences.