RT Book, Section A1 Dooley-Hash, Suzanne A1 Herrman, Nicholas W.C. A2 Knoop, Kevin J. A2 Stack, Lawrence B. A2 Storrow, Alan B. A2 Thurman, R. Jason SR Print(0) ID 1181041398 T1 Genital Herpes T2 The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e YR 2021 FD 2021 PB McGraw-Hill PP New York, NY SN 9781260134940 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181041398 RD 2024/11/09 AB Genital herpes is caused by both herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2. Primary infections are often asymptomatic but may present with a prodrome of fever, headache, myalgias, and dysuria followed by development of an eruption within a few days. The typical eruption consists of clusters of small vesicles that ulcerate into shallow painful ulcers with an erythematous base. The eruption can last for several weeks. Most primary infections are self-limited, but complications may include acute urinary retention, aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis, and pneumonitis. Nonprimary infections occur when patients with preexisting antibodies to one HSV type are infected by the other type. Recurrent episodes are common. Both nonprimary first and recurrent episodes tend to have a milder course than primary infections. Immunocompromised patients are at risk for disseminated herpes and other complications. Perinatal transmission of genital herpes is associated with high rates of infant morbidity and mortality.