BMJ  2007;334:1048-1052 (19 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.39189.504306.55

Clinical Review

Genital herpes and its management

P Sen, consultant1, S E Barton, consultant and clinical director,2

1 National Skin Centre, 1 Mandalay Road, Singapore 308205, 2 Directorate of HIV and GU Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Foundation NHS Trust, London SW10 9NH

Correspondence to: S Barton simon.barton@chelwest.nhs.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Genital herpes is an important public health disease and is the leading cause of genital ulcer disease worldwide. We present the latest evidence based guidelines from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other expert committees to provide an up to date account of genital infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV), its clinical features and diagnosis, and a practical approach to management of affected patients. Treatment regimens have largely been based on evidence obtained from randomised controlled trials, while certain new diagnostic tests are limited by lower levels of evidence obtained only from descriptive or case studies.


  • Genital herpes is the leading cause of genital ulcer disease worldwide
  • Most patients with genital herpes have no symptoms and shed virus intermittently in the genital tract
  • Counselling of patients and their sexual partners is critical in the management of genital herpes
  • . . . [Full text of this article]


Box 4 Recommended regimens for first episode of genital herpes (1b, A)3 4

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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Aslam, S. P., Carroll, K. A., Naz, B., Alao, A. O. (2009). Valacyclovir-Induced Psychosis and Manic Symptoms in an Adolescent Young Woman With Genital Herpes Simplex. Psychosomatics 50: 293-296 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

The Herpes Viruses Association
Nigel Scott
bmj.com, 21 May 2007 [Full text]
Herpes Virus association
Dr Simon Barton
bmj.com, 25 May 2007 [Full text]
Can genital herpes cause oral manifestations and viceversa?
Eduardo M. Curbeira Hernández. MDD, et al.
bmj.com, 29 May 2007 [Full text]
Diagnosis of HSV infection in this article does not reflect reality
Malur Sudhanva
bmj.com, 30 May 2007 [Full text]
Recurrent herpes at onset of labour
Julian Law
bmj.com, 1 Jun 2007 [Full text]
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