As you, or someone you know, begin to deal with the virus, you may be wondering what exactly is the history of herpes? Where did the virus come from and when did it become so prevalent? Here is a brief overview for you.

This goal of this article is to provide a basic genital herpes history. Don’t think of this as a textbook with all of the information you could want or need. Instead, it covers the basics of the virus’ progression through history and how it became so prevalent.

The history of herpes begins as early as ancient Greek times. Hippocrates speaks of the condition in his writings. Even the word “herpes” is a Greek word that means “to creep or crawl” which is the way that the Greeks described the way that skin lesions spread. In Roman times, the emperor Tiberius tried to stop an outbreak of mouth herpes by prohibiting kissing at public events and ceremonies. Soon after Tiberius, a physician named Celsus suggested that herpes be treated by cauterizing the sores with a hot iron. It is unknown how long Tiberius’ ban on kissing lasted or how long Celsus’ treatment was used, but both seem to have ended pretty quickly.

Later in history, Shakespeare is believed to have had knowledge of the virus. In his play Romeo and Juliet he talks about “blisters plagues” which scholars believe refers to the herpes virus. There are also medical journals from the seventeen and early eighteen hundreds that discuss this disease. During this time there was also a lot of speculation as to what caused herpes – one of the most notable was the suggestion that herpes was caused by insect bites. Obviously, the history of herpes contains a lot of misconceptions.

However, this information doesn’t really tell us when or where the history of herpes started. The origin of herpes in humans is unknown. Some scholars believe that it has been around since the beginning of the human race.

In more recent times, there started to be recognition of genital herpes history and the way that the virus spreads as early as the 1900s. Studies began to define various strains of the virus and in 1919 a man by the name of Lowenstein confirmed scientists’ suspicion that herpes was infectious.

Before this time, people were unsure that herpes was a virus – in fact, many considered it to be like other common skin conditions, such as eczema, which cannot be transmitted. Studies of herpes continued into the twentieth century and scientists were able to begin identifying various strains of the virus. Genital herpes history continues as scientists and physicians continue to study it and search for ways to minimize its’ effects and the chance of transmission.

What can we learn from this history of herpes? It certainly reveals that the disease is not just a modern phenomenon. It has been around for a while and unfortunately, unless a cure is found, it will continue to exist. In the meantime, we can be grateful that the medical minds of our age have a much better understanding of the condition and that they are working on ways to minimize the symptoms and hopefully one day eliminate the disease.

Written by Sheldon Miller. He is a health researcher who has been studying natural remedies for herpes and other STDs for many years. He is a regular contributor to Herpes Treatment Guide.

Chocolate could have an influence on women herpes symptoms. Several articles published recently claim that chocolate is a health food superior even to green tea. A study in 2003 suggested that eating chocolate regularly could prolong your life span, and other studies suggest that it protects blood vessels. Chocolate may be an antioxidant and contain lots of polyphenols, but for people with herpes, chocolate is often a trigger.

Most studies on chocolate conclude that it is best to eat highly concentrated dark chocolate because it contains more antioxidant, polyphenols and minerals than other varieties and also because it usually contains less added sugar and fat.

Chocolate also contains ingredients which can suppress your immune system, such as metylxantil and small amounts of caffeine and refined sugar.

Its high arginine content gives fuel to herpes reproduction. So chocolate should be avoided by both men and women infected with herpes.

Menopausal women or those suffering from PMS should be extra careful about their chocolate intake. Chocolate can stimulate the production of certain prostaglandins, which are thought to promote PMS. Women with PMS are often advised to avoid beverages or foods (tea, coffee and chocolate) containing Xantine or melxantil in order to reduce nervousness, breast tenderness and irritability.

A 2002 laboratory study conducted in New Jersey suggested that prostaglandins inhibitors such as aspirin could prevent reproduction of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) virus and that may also be the case with the herpes virus.

Other small studies indicate that a certain type of prostaglandin (E2) exacerbates herpes virus proliferation while another (E1), suppresses it.

In other words, the action of chocolate on prostaglandin (E2) could promote herpes replication and especially in women during PMS and menopause. Body levels of prostaglandin (E1) decrease during PMS and menopause while other types of prostaglandins naturally increase.

This could mean that women who display high prostaglandin levels naturally experience more severe herpes symptoms and that eating chocolate could make things worse for them.

This theory is backed up by my personal experience, and that of my female readers. We are much more herpes-prone during the 7 to 12 days prior to menstruation or during the menopause. So avoiding chocolate a little prior to menstruation is essential. Dairy produce, can contribute to stimulating the production of prostaglandins so milk chocolate is even worse.

Written by Nathalie Foy. Ms Foy is an alternative treatment specialist who has written a book on Herpes Wise.

1. What is herpes?

Herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection.

2. What are the types?

There are generally two type of herpes - genital herpes and oral herpes. Genital herpes occur around the genital area while oral herpes appear around the mouth or face.

In medical terms, These are known as Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1 for short), and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (also known as HSV-2).

HSV-1 causes oral herpes, whilst the closely related infection HSV-2 causes genital herpes. Herpes is highly contagious, but it is most likely to be transmitted if the sufferer has open sores.

You can read “What is Herpes” for more information.

3. What are the symptoms of herpes?

If you have herpes the following symptoms are ones that you are most likely to experience:

Itching, painful bumps or blisters appearing in on the genitals, flu like symptoms, a burning sensation when urinating (as a result of urine flowing over the sores), difficulty urinating (this occurs in cases where blisters block the urethra), and open sores on the genitals.

Other symptoms of genital herpes include fever, chills, headache and swollen, tender lymph glands.

4. Does man and woman have the same infection pattern?

In men, the affected areas of genital herpes include- urethra, penis, scrotum, anus and buttocks.

In women, the herpes appears on external genitals, vagina, cervix, buttocks and anus.

5. Is there any indication of a herpes outbreak?

Before any herpes outbreak there is a period called prodrome. During this period you may get sensations such as- tingling, itching or some pain. That indicates that the genital herpes will break out in a day or two. Genital herpes can also spread easily during this prodrome period.

6. Is herpes transmitted via sexual intercourse only?

Not everyone catches genital herpes through sexual intercourse, some actually catch it from cold sores, remember the two viruses that cause herpes are closely related.

7. How is herpes transmitted?

Herpes is spread through direct contact with the sores. People who have oral, vaginal and anal sex are prone to getting the infection. Even with no visible blisters, viral shedding can take place and many spread and acquire the disease unaware that they have.

8. What will confirm a herpes infection?

Herpes is tested with viral culture during active outbreaks. During dormancy (no visible signs), a blood test is performed. These tests are not very accurate and may need to be repeated.

9. After being infected with the herpes virus, how soon will the sores appear?

Sores usually become apparent two to three weeks after the virus has entered the body.

10. What causes herpes flare-ups or recurring outbreaks?

Outbreaks can be caused by any event that causes an impaired immune system such as other infections, stress, surgery or other outside factors. They may also be associated with menstruation, sexual intercourse and skin irritations.

11. Does herpes make me prone to acquire other sexually transmitted diseases?

Yes. Open herpetic sores increase the odds of contracting other venereal diseases.

12. Do pregnant women with herpes transmit the virus to their baby?

Mothers may potentially pass on the virus to their baby. It is vital for a mother to be cautious to avoid the infection or to let herself and her partner be tested for the virus.

13. What are the symptoms of herpes inflection of a newborn child?
Newborns can catch herpes simplex from their mother during birth. If a newborn is infected with the virus, the following symptoms of infection may emerge during the first month after birth: irritability, breathing problems, fever, convulsions, jaundice (yellowish skin), sores on the skin, bruising or low platelet counts (platelets are the part of blood that makes it clot). In the most extreme cases, babies infected with herpes simplex may develop severe eye problems, a small brain size, mental retardation, seizures or even die.

14. Are there any cure?

At the moment there is no cure for herpes, however there are some medications that help to treat the symptoms of herpes by making them last for a shorter period of time.

The simple fact that herpes is a virus is what makes it difficult to find a herpes cure. As a rule the immune system will deal with and destroy any viruses it finds but that fact that the herpes virus retreats and hides so well in the nerves when in the dormant phase makes finding a cure for herpes a more difficult task.

15. When was herpes first known?

No one really knows. The history of herpes begins as early as ancient Greek times. Hippocrates speaks of the condition in his writings. Even the word “herpes” is a Greek word that means “to creep or crawl” which is the way that the Greeks described the way that skin lesions spread.

16. Are there herpes community that I can seek out friendship?

Yes, many. One of the better known sites is PositiveSingles. They even have a STD consultant there.

There is no need to face your challenges alone. In most areas, there are support groups that exist to help each other.

Over at yoshi2me.com, a list of support groups are listed for various countries and states. This is an excellent site (www.yoshi2me.com) overall and contains great information for all those who are curious about or are suffering from herpes. Yoshi2me is a generous and knowledgeable herpes patient advocate who has committed her time and energies to helping others.

There are generally two type of herpes - genital herpes and oral herpes. Genital herpes occur around the genital area while oral herpes appear around the mouth or face. However, it is important to note that the herpes outbreak can occur anywhere on the body.

Usually the first outbreak after infection is the most severe. There will be blisters filled with fluid either on the face, genital or anus. These blisters should crust and dry without any scar. The outbreak might be accompanied by other symptoms like fever. Usually, the first episode is the most severe. But there are cases where the symptoms are so mild that the patient is not even aware that they have contracted an STD.

The herpes outbreak can recur from time to time and the probability of transmitting it to another person is highest during these periods. But herpes can be transmitted even when no sores are seen.

Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simple Virus and there are two variants: HSV-1 and the HSV-2 viruses.

HSV-1 is generally associated with oral herpes, or more commonly known as cold sores. The HSV-2 virus is generally associated with genital herpes.

There is a common misconception that HSV-1 is the “good” virus, while HSV-2 is the “bad” virus. The reason for this is the fact that cold sores are some how, more socially acceptable than the outbreak of genital herpes.

But the reality is that both of these viruses are very similar. They both transmit through sexual contact and that can be by oral sex or penetrative sex. Both types of virus attacks the body’s mucosal surfaces, and usually the face or the genitals, then they become dormant but continue to be found in the body.

The HSV-1 virus normally establishes its “base” around the nerve cells near the ear, while the HSV-2 virus some how prefers to establish itself near the base of the spine.

This is the reason HSV-1 outbreaks are normally around the lower lip or face and the HSV-2 outbreaks are around the genital areas. But both viruses are essential the same. In terms of severity of infection and risk of infection, there is little to differentiate them.

There is no cure for herpes. However, outbreaks can be controlled by anti-viral creams and medication.

All told, the herpes infection is much more of a social problem than it is a medical problem. Most outbreaks can be treated and in many cases, the effects are mild. But the social stigma of having contacted an STD like herpes can devastate social and family life.

If you suspect you are suffering from herpes, you should consult your doctor.