- How to distinguish between symptoms of hypothermia and flu?
- Can a cold from hypothermia be contagious?
- How contagious is herpes on the lip?
- Treatment options
What affects the duration of incubation of herpes
Patients often ask questions about what affects the incubation period of herpes in the intimate area or other areas of the human body.
There are a large number of factors that can either lengthen the reproduction period of viral particles or significantly shorten it.
Doctors usually consider:
- age characteristics - everyone knows that infants and older people have weaker immune systems
- environmental conditions - everything that can contribute to a decrease in immunity (staying in a draft, prolonged exposure to the cold, etc.) can lead to a shortening of the period of time from entering the body to the development of a full-fledged disease
- stress also affects the immune system, which can lead to a shorter period of time
Naturally, adherence to proper nutrition, leading a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits and a number of other recommendations can increase incubation.
Moreover, in some cases, the virus may never lead to the development of a full-fledged disease, remaining dormant in the body.
Effect of pregnancy on virus incubation
Often, women who are in the period of bearing a child ask their attending physicians about how the incubation of herpes changes during pregnancy.
It is quite difficult to predict changes in this case.
On the one hand, the body does everything to protect the woman herself, as well as her unborn baby, from negative external influences, including viral particles.
On the other hand, pregnancy is a condition of a woman’s body, accompanied by severe immunosuppression.
Otherwise, bearing a fetus would simply be impossible.
Often it is immunosuppression that prevails in the female body.
As a result, the length of time it takes herpes from entering the body to developing symptoms is significantly shortened. It is also worth considering that herpes is quite capable of penetrating the placenta, leading to infection of the child.
Sometimes it leads to the development of congenital pathologies of varying severity.
How dangerous is herpes?
Herpes on the lips is type 1 herpes. A person with herpes on the lips poses a danger not only to others, but also to himself. If you touch the rash first and then another part of the body, you can transfer the infection, for example, to the eyes. Herpetic lesions of the cornea lead to blindness.
Therefore, it is worth observing the following hygiene rules:
- Don't touch the rash. If you accidentally touch it, wash your hands with warm water and soap.
- Use only your own utensils.
- Do not scratch the crusts or squeeze out the bubbles - this will not make the disease go away any faster. You simply risk spreading it to other parts of the body.
- Under no circumstances should you kiss or have sex during an exacerbation. Not only do you risk infecting your partner, there is also a risk of transferring herpes to the genital area. This is a much more unpleasant form of herpes.
Genital herpes (herpes type 2) affects the human genitourinary system. Recently, evidence has emerged that type 1 herpes can cause damage to the genital organs.
It appears in the form of blisters that cause a burning sensation, then the blisters become painful ulcers. Manifestations of genital herpes are a whole complex of unpleasant sensations. Rashes are often accompanied by pain, swelling, tingling sensation, and discharge.
The influence of HIV infection on the incubation period of herpes
Another common question is how the duration of incubation changes during HIV infection.
There is nothing surprising in such a question.
After all, the human immunodeficiency virus is becoming increasingly common in medical practice today.
Much in this case depends on how strongly the patient’s immunity is suppressed.
For example, if a patient regularly takes HIV medications and his lymphocyte levels remain normal, the incubation period may remain within the standard range.
If the patient ignores the doctor’s recommendations and refuses medications, the level of his defense system drops to catastrophic levels.
The result is predictable: the period of time is greatly shortened.
The disease makes itself felt much earlier than if HIV were controlled or completely absent from the body.
Which doctor will help if herpes infection cannot be avoided?
Which doctor should I contact if I still couldn’t avoid a collision with the disease and there is a suspicion of incubation?
This is a very popular question among patients.
This is not surprising, because different types of herpes can be dealt with by different specialists.
If a person has signs of the genital form of the disease, it is worth visiting a venereologist first.
This doctor will be able to prescribe the necessary tests and give recommendations for therapy.
If you suspect infection with the labial form, you can go to a dermatologist, infectious disease specialist, or just a general practitioner.
Any of these doctors will be able to treat the infection using a variety of medications.
Everything is more complicated with the shingles form of the disease.
In this case, it is necessary to contact infectious disease specialists.
They may even decide that the patient needs to be admitted to hospital.
What tests will help detect infection during the incubation period?
Tests during the incubation period, as doctors note, are particularly difficult.
This is due to the fact that viral infections are already difficult to diagnose.
If we are talking about the incubation period, everything becomes even more difficult.
You should immediately forget about such popular and simple methods as microscopy and smear culture.
Of course, seeding is performed in some laboratories with special conditions, but it is more for research purposes.
The most reliable options are ELISA and PCR.
Moreover, as doctors note, PCR usually provides more information, which in itself is more reliable. This is due to the fact that the technique does not detect traces of a pathogenic microorganism in the blood, but detects it itself.
However, it is worth considering that PCR also has limitations.
If at the time of examination there are not enough viral particles in the body (the threshold value is below the detectable value), then the analysis will be false negative.
Can a cold from hypothermia be contagious?
It would seem that if a person gets sick due to hypothermia, then he does not pose a threat to others, even if he “suffers a cold on his feet.” But this is a wrong point of view. If a person is sick, viruses have already begun to actively multiply in his body. This means that “mild influenza” can lead to serious complications. The disease, as we know, is easier to prevent than to cure, so antiviral drugs are often prescribed in the complex treatment of colds. For example, for prevention you can use VIFERON Gel, applying it to the nasal mucosa three to four times a day, and if a viral infection is diagnosed, then in this case you can use VIFERON suppositories, which is not only an antiviral, but an immunomodulatory drug. It is indicated even for pregnant women from the 14th week of gestation and newborns.
Features of preventing herpes after infection
Patients who think they are in the incubation period will certainly ask the doctor a question.
What to do to ensure that the disease does not develop fully, but remains in a dormant state.
There really aren't many options.
Firstly, the effectiveness of prevention with Valvir and Valtrex has been proven.
These drugs are taken orally in tablet form and can inhibit the activity of viral particles.
The main thing is to take them according to the doctor-recommended regimen.
However, herpes is a virus that cannot be gotten rid of once and for all.
Today such drugs simply do not exist.
Therefore, for example, the PCR reaction may remain positive during diagnostic examinations.
Doctors additionally note that you should not rely only on medications.
Measures must be taken to increase the overall level of immunity.
To do this, they use immunostimulants, lead a healthy lifestyle, follow a light diet, and engage in physical activity.
How to treat herpes?
It is impossible to completely destroy a virus that has entered the body. But it is quite possible to suppress its activity so much that it does not bother you. In modern medicine, an integrated approach is used for this. The best results are obtained by combination therapy, which involves the use of antiviral drugs (they are available in the form of drugs for internal use and in the form of external agents), as well as drugs that strengthen the immune system. In some cases, the patient is additionally prescribed local analgesics and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Many people are interested in whether it is possible to burn herpes with alcohol? Alas, this method does not affect the virus, but only damages the mucous membranes, so it is better to use special ointments.
What remedies are usually prescribed for herpes on the lips? The table shows a list of the most common medications used to treat the virus.
| Name, dosage form | Description |
| Acyclovir (aka Zovirax). Available in the form of tablets, cream, eye ointments, injection solutions. | An inexpensive antiviral drug that stops the replication of the virus. Addressed to adults and children over 3 years old. Not recommended for use during pregnancy. Antiviral ointment |
| Valacyclovir (aka Valtrex) Available in the form of 500 mg tablets. | One of the best drugs for herpes. It differs from Acyclovir in the method of delivery of the active ingredient. Suppresses the activity of the virus and reduces symptoms. When taking the drug, the risk of infection through contact with other people is reduced. Treatment of herpes in 3 days |
| Famciclovir (aka Famvir) Available in the form of tablets 125, 250 and 500 mg. | Just like Acyclovir and Valtrex, it blocks the replication of the virus. Helps in the treatment of simple virus and the virus that causes chickenpox. Famciclovir is effective against viruses resistant to Acyclovir. Famciclovir |
| Panavir Available in the form of a solution for intravenous injection, as well as in the form of a gel and suppositories (suppositories). | Antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drug of plant origin. Increases the body's resistance to infections and has an antipyretic effect. |
| Docosanol (aka Erazaban) Available in the form of a cream for external use. | Has an antiviral effect. Intended for use in adults and children over 12 years of age. Pregnant women are prescribed with caution. |
| Proteflazid Available in the form of drops. | Antiviral agent for systemic use. Intended for the treatment of herpes simplex in children and adults. Used in pediatric practice (including in children under 1 year). |
| Flavoside Available in the form of syrup. | Effective in the treatment of herpes simplex, as well as in the treatment and prevention of influenza. Used in pediatric practice (including in children under 1 year). |
The presented list of drugs is far from complete - the doctor, depending on the characteristics of a particular patient, may recommend other drugs. For example, in some cases antibiotics cannot be avoided (if there is a risk of contracting other infections).
What to do if herpes incubation takes a very long time
Doctors have long noticed that not all patients develop herpes according to the standard pattern.
This fact further complicates treatment during the incubation period.
It is worth keeping in mind: if the patient has a strong body, an active immune system, symptoms of the disease may not appear for a very, very long time.
Do you need to worry if there are no symptoms of the disease, although they should be, since infection has definitely occurred?
Until rashes begin to appear, the patient can be calm about his health.
Herpes is not an infection that undermines the body unnoticed.
Its symptoms are quite vivid and difficult to ignore.
If there are no symptoms, then the virus is dormant and does not pose a threat to the body.
Since it is completely impossible to remove a pathogenic microorganism from the body, all that remains is to make efforts to prevent it from becoming more active.
Herpes on the lips, symptoms
Herpes on the lips is clinically manifested by the following symptoms. 1-2 days before the appearance of the rash, the first symptoms of herpes on the lips are subjective sensations in the form of pain, burning, itching, tingling, discomfort in areas of the mucous membranes and skin. There may be symptoms of general intoxication (increased body temperature to 38°C and above , chills, malaise, headache, sleep disturbance). Then small bubbles appear filled with clear liquid against a background of swelling. After 2-4 days, the blisters burst, forming ulcers, then crusts. Unstable pigmentation may remain.
The appearance of blisters in the same place is a distinctive feature of the herpes virus on the lips and all other forms of herpes virus infection “locus minoris”.
How does herpes on the lips manifest in primary and recurrent forms of the disease?
Primary herpes of the lips develops after infection of a previously uninfected person with the virus; in 80-90% of infected people it is asymptomatic, in 10-20% it manifests with clinical symptoms.
The first signs of herpes on the lips may occur after contact with an infected person after a 1-10 day incubation period. Then, on the mucous membranes or on the red border of the lips or adjacent areas of the skin, edematous erythema appears, against which small, grouped (less often merging) blisters filled with clear liquid appear. After 2-4 days, the blisters burst, forming weeping erosions, less often ulcers, healing under a crust or without its formation.
After complete regression of the rash, a slightly pigmented spot remains in its place for some time. Subjective sensations may persist even after the bubbles resolve. In some weakened patients, in young children, along with rashes in the lip area, there may be rashes of other localization, enlarged lymph nodes.
Exacerbation of herpes on the lips occurs against the background of decreased activity of the immune system.
The duration of the acute period for primary herpes on the lips is 10-20 days; in the case of a secondary bacterial infection, it increases to 3-5 weeks.
After this, the disease goes into remission. This means that after the initial infection, the virus remains in the body, accumulating in the sensory ganglia of the cranial ganglia and persisting in them for life. The duration of remission depends on a number of reasons, the main one of which is the state of immunity. Under the influence of provoking factors, the virus can become active at any time and enter the relapse stage.
