Herpes

There are hundreds of herpes viruses, but few affect humans. Those that affect humans are cell fast, meaning they incorporate their DNA into your neurons, and show latent growth, which means that the symptoms can reappear when the immune system gets lowered.

Human Herpes Virus Type I
Herpes Simplex I causes fever blisters and herpes labialis. Spread by contact, usually by children. 95% of us will test positive for antibodies. However, only 4 million of Americans (~1%) are symptomatic.

Symptoms
Start off with some itching/ tingling, followed by blisters, which then crusts and disappears after a few weeks.

Reactivation
Anytime the immune system is lowered (fever, cold, stress), you will get it again.

Treatment
DOC: a form of Acyclovir

Complications
Rare complications include herpetic gingivostomatitis (blisters on gums, throat, mouth), and herpetic keratitis (some vision loss). Causes 30% of neonatal encephalitis, which can lead to mental retardation or death (passes through the placenta).

Human Herpes Virus Type II
Genital Herpes / Herpes Simplex II Occurrence: from 12 yrs and up, 1 of 5 ppl will carry this virus

Symptoms
Starts off with pain and malaise (nausea), followed by blisters in the genital area, which move to buttocks, and thighs, to the point where it can hurt to sit.

Complications
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can lead to cervical cancer, but a co-infection with genital herpes will double the rate of cervical cancer.

Causes 70% of the cases of neonatal encephalitis, but it can be avoided through a C-section.

Reactivation
Stress, e.g. menstruation can lower your immune system.

Treated with Acyclovir

Human Herpes Virus Type III
The first infection is chicken pox, or Varicella, and the second infection is shingles, or herpes zoster.

Morbidity
90% of children get chicken pox before they are 10.

Transmission
Droplet transmission greatly facilitates infection, and a host can infect by coughing or through fomites.

They can be transmitted from 1-3 days before blisters to up to 6 days after blisters.

Symptoms
Incubated for an average of 2 weeks, the first symptom is a 1-2 day fever after which you have 6 days of itchy blisters. If the blisters are scratched, the host can allow Staph. or E. coli to enter the skin and form more permanent damage.

Complications
Reyes’ Syndrome can occur, which is a buildup of fluids in the brain, which leads to swelling and death. Other viruses such as the flu can cause this syndrome as well. Aspirin is not recommended for treatment as it will encourage the buildup of fluids.

Immunity
Vaccination for chicken pox may help prevent shingles. Most people only get chickenpox once.

Morbidity
30% of the population, usually older (>50y.o.) folks get this.

Symptoms
Blisters appear across one dermatome, last for a few weeks, then goes away. The more blisters there are, the more painful the infection.

Complications
Post Herpetic Neuralgia: after blisters are gone, there’s still pain in those areas. This can last up to a year depending on how many blisters you have.

Treatment with Acyclovir 

Prevention
Vaccine Zostavax, which protects for 10 years, but people still get shingles. If you have shingles, you can’t give someone shingles, but can give a child chicken pox.

Human Herpes Virus Type IV
Epstein Barr Virus (common name) causes infectious mono and Burkett's Lymphoma.

Infectious mononucleosis is spread by saliva, and can result in a sore throat, rash, lymphadenopathy (node swell), and lymphocytosis (high wbc). They will test for this specific strain of herpes when you are infected with mono because it’s associated with a type of cancer: Burkett’s Lymphoma. It is a cancer of the B- cells and B-lymphocytes, and is common in Africa.

Human Herpes Virus Type V
Also known as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), most people are exposed to this virus but only 90% are asymptomatic. Also causes a mononucleosis infection that does not lead to cancer. That is why it's important to differentiate between Epstein Barr Virus and this one.

Congenital CMV – Passed through placenta, congenital CMV may lead to brain damage and death.

Perinatal CMV – Passed though the birth canal, causing less damage.

Disseminated CMV – A rare systemic infection of CMV that kill people with deficient immune systems.

Humans Herpes Virus Type VI
(May be associated with Multiple Sclerosis)

Also called Human T-lymphotropic virus, or roseola. Almost all children get this, and it's a very mild and self-limiting rash and fever in children under 1.5 years old.

Humans Herpes Virus Type VII
"Orphan virus” little to no rashes or other symptoms.

Humans Herpes Virus Type VIII
Kaposi’s sarcoma - A form of cancer more prevalent in AIDS patients. Purple hemorrhagic tumors in the mouth that look really disgusting.