What are the causes and symptoms of genital herpes?
While anyone can be infected by herpes virus, not everyone will show symptoms. Risk factors for genital herpes include: early age at first sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, and a medical history of other sexually-transmitted diseases. Most patients with genital herpes experience a prodrome (symptoms of oncoming disease) of pain, burning, itching, or tingling at the site where blisters will form. This prodrome stage may last anywhere from a few hours, to one to two days. The herpes infection prodrome can occur for both the primary infection and recurrent infections. The prodrome for recurrent infections may be severe and cause a severe burning or stabbing pain in the genital area, legs, or buttocks. Source: The Gale Group. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 3rd ed.
