Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of Venereal Diseases logoLink to The British Journal of Venereal Diseases
. 1978 Apr;54(2):115–120. doi: 10.1136/sti.54.2.115

Current approaches to the diagnosis of herpes genitalis.

E M Belsey, M W Adler
PMCID: PMC1046373  PMID: 638718

Abstract

The current methods of diagnosing and treating herpes genitalis in clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in England and Wales are reported. Virus cultures were used as a diagnostic test in some or all patients in nearly two-thirds of clinics. Darkground examinations were performed on all or selected patients in most clinics, but fewer than half the clinics performed them on three or more separate occasions. In over 80% of clinics attempts were made to see some or all contacts of patients with herpes. The treatments prescribed varied, the commonest being saline washes, idoxuridine, and oral antibiotics. Serological tests were repeated after the disappearance of the lesions in 90% of clinics, while in 60% of clinics women with herpes genitalis were advised to have cytological examination at regular intervals in future. The importance of excluding syphilis in patients presenting with genital ulceration, the most appropriate treatments for herpes, and the possible association between the disease and cervical carcinoma are discussed.

Full text

PDF
117

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adler M. W., Belsey E. M., O'Connor B. H., Catterall R. D., Miller D. L. Facilities and diagnostic criteria in sexually transmitted disease clinics in England and Wales. Br J Vener Dis. 1978 Feb;54(1):2–9. doi: 10.1136/sti.54.1.2. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catalano L. W., Jr, Johnson L. D. Herpesvirus antibody and carcinoma in situ of the cervix. JAMA. 1971 Jul 26;217(4):447–450. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cusumano C. L., Monif G. R. A word of caution concerning photodynamic inactivation therapy for Herpesvirus hominis infections. Obstet Gynecol. 1975 Mar;45(3):335–336. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Green J., Staal S. Letter: Questionable dermatologic use of iododeoxyuridine. N Engl J Med. 1976 Jul 8;295(2):111–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HUTFIELD D. C. EFFECTS OF 5-IODO-2' -DEOXYURIDINE AND PHENYLMERCURIC DINAPHTHYLMETHANE DISULPHONATE ON HERPES GENITALIS. Br J Vener Dis. 1964 Sep;40:210–212. doi: 10.1136/sti.40.3.210. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. LOMBARD H. L., POTTER E. A. Epidemiological aspects of cancer of the cervix. II. Hereditary and environmental factors. Cancer. 1950 Nov;3(6):960–968. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(1950)3:6<960::aid-cncr2820030603>3.0.co;2-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. MacCallum F. O., Juel-Jensen B. E. Herpes simplex virus skin infection in man treated with idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide. Results of double-blind controlled trial. Br Med J. 1966 Oct 1;2(5517):805–807. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5517.805. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Myers M. G., Oxman M. N., Clark J. E., Arndt K. A. Failure of neutral-red photodynamic inactivation in recurrent herpes simplex virus infections. N Engl J Med. 1975 Nov 6;293(19):945–949. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197511062931901. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Nahmias A. J., Josey W. E., Naib Z. M., Luce C. F., Guest B. A. Antibodies to Herpesvirus hominis types 1 and 2 in humans. II. Women with cervical cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1970 Jun;91(6):547–552. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121166. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Nahmias A. J., Naib Z. M., Josey W. E., Franklin E., Jenkins R. Prospective studies of the association of genital herpes simplex infection and cervical anaplasia. Cancer Res. 1973 Jun;33(6):1491–1497. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ng A. B., Reagan J. W., Yen S. S. Hepres genitalis; clinical and cytopathologic experience with 256 patients. Obstet Gynecol. 1970 Oct;36(4):645–651. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rawls W. E., Tompkins W. A., Figueroa M. E., Melnick J. L. Herpesvirus type 2: association with carcinoma of the cervix. Science. 1968 Sep 20;161(3847):1255–1256. doi: 10.1126/science.161.3847.1255. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rawls W. E., Tompkins W. A., Melnick J. L. The association of herpesvirus type 2 and carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Am J Epidemiol. 1969 May;89(5):547–554. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a120967. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Roome A. P., Tinkler A. E., Hilton A. L., Montefiore D. G., Waller D. Neutral red with photoinactivation in the treatment of herpes genitalis. Br J Vener Dis. 1975 Apr;51(2):130–133. doi: 10.1136/sti.51.2.130. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Royston I., Aurelian L. The association of genital herpesvirus with cervical atypia and carcinoma in situ. Am J Epidemiol. 1970 Jun;91(6):531–538. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121164. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. SCHOFIELD C. B. THE TREATMENT OF HERPES PROGENITALIS WITH 5 IODO-2'-DEOXYURIDINE. Br J Dermatol. 1964 Nov;76:465–470. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1964.tb15486.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Skinner G. R., Thouless M. E., Jordan J. A. Antibodies to type 1 and type 2 herpes virus in women with abnormal cervical cytology. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw. 1971 Nov;78(11):1031–1038. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1971.tb00221.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Taylor P. K., Doherty N. R. Comparison of the treatment of herpes genitalis in men with proflavine photoinactivation, idoxuridine ointment, and normal saline. Br J Vener Dis. 1975 Apr;51(2):125–129. doi: 10.1136/sti.51.2.125. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. WYNDER E. L., CORNFIELD J., SCHROFF P. D., DORAISWAMI K. R. A study of environmental factors in carcinoma of the cervix. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1954 Oct;68(4):1016-47; discussion, 1048-52. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(16)38400-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Venereal Diseases are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES