Straight Talk, October 2006
2
What happens whenyou get infected?
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STD Clinic, MulagoA person who gets infected withgenital herpes virus for the firsttime usually gets signs within 2 to10 days.
The virus will cause blisters or soresfilled with fluid in and around thevagina, penis, buttocks or thighs.These blisters may burst later to formwounds. The person may also haveslight itching or discharge in the genitalarea.
Many people who have genitalherpes do not know it. They maynot recognize or get any signs.
This means the virus that causes genitalherpes is in the body but is inactive(sleeping). This state of having the viruswith no signs can go on for many years.But when someone falls sick with malaria, flu or HIV ortheir immune system isweakened in anyway,the sores of genitalherpes can erupt.
Early signsusually last 2 to3 weeks
Early signs of activegenital herpes mayinclude:•Itching• A burning feeling in thegenital or anal area.• Pain in the legs, buttocksor genital area.• Discharge of fluid from thevagina.• Groups of fluid-filled swellingsappearing near where thevirus has entered the body(mouth, penis, or vagina, onthe cervix or in the urinarypassage or near the anus).
How isgenitalherpesspread?
What happens whenyou get infected?
Genital herpes is spreadthrough sex and sometimesfrom mother to baby.Most people get genital herpeswhen they have unprotected
How gender sensitive are you?Do you think that women deserveto be beaten and that boys shouldnever cry? Such thinking puts youat risk of HIV and a lot of otherproblems. You need to get with themodern age of respect betweenmales and females. As clubmembers or as a group of friends,
• Small red bumps appear then developinto blisters, and then become painfulopen sores.After several days, the sores becomecrusty and then heal without leaving ascar.
Other signs
Fever, headache, muscle aches, painfulor difficult urination, vaginal discharge,and swollen glands in the genital area.
Recurrence
Even after the symptoms are gone, thevirus stays sleeping inside the nervecells. Later the virus will become activeagain, causing fresh blisters and sores.In most people, the virus can becomeactive several times a year. This comingand going of sores is called arecurrence.An infected person may know that arecurrence is about to happen by atingling feeling or itching in the genitalarea, pain in the buttocks or down theleg.Sometimes blisters appear that may bevery small and barely noticeable, orthey may break into open sores thatcrust over and then disappear.
"When the recurrence is about to come, I always feel feverish and very weak. I alsosometimes get blisters around the anus." Boy, Bushenyi
Some people have only one or twooutbreaks in a lifetime. Others mayhave several outbreaks a year.Outbreaks are sometimes brought onby another illness, stress or having amenstrual period.In some cases, outbreaks may beconnected to sunlight.
Shedding without signs
Sometimes the virus can be active butnot cause sores that can be seen.Small amounts of the virus may be shedfrom around the place where infectionfirst took place. So the virus will beplentiful in fluids from the mouth, penisor vagina or from sores that you canbarely notice.Shedding is when particles of something drop off (for example, sometrees shed their leaves). You might notbe aware of the shedding but are highlylikely to infect a sex partner at this time.
tick agree or disagree for each ofthe statements. Then discuss: whydid your members respond the waythey did? Give points for gender-sensitive attitudes. Discuss how yourclub can encourage people toappreciate and respect each otherregardless of sex.Hint: no one deserves to be beaten!
sex with someone who has thegenital herpes virus.
A girl from Kisasi, Kampala, says:
"I suspect I got the infection around threeweeks ago from my partner. I do not feel sick but I am alwaysitching while passing urine. At thehealth centre, I was told that I havegenital herpes."
MAURICIA IS 17.
She went to herdoctor complaining of itching in thegenital area and eruption of blistersfilled with a fluid like water.Mauricia told the doctor that she hadhad sex for the first time two monthsago. Since then she had sex twice.She said she had never noticed anydisease on her boyfriend.They met secretly and in a hurry at afriend’s house. She is now worried.
UMARU, A STUDENT AGED 20
,has been having recurrent woundson his penis and upper thigh for twoyears. He first noticed them afterhaving sex with his second girlfriend.Since then he has been getting soreson his penis and thighs once everytwo months. He has suffered a lotand has been getting treatment.The health worker put him onsyphilis treatment. But blisters stillcome back.
Blisters may appear on penis,vagina, cervix or around the anus
Club activity: Test yourgender sensitivity
Dr EdithNakku, STDspecialist,Mulago.
Joining the Straight Talk club has helped us stay safe.Entebbe Parents SSS, Straight Talk club members
Statement Agree Disagree
If my boy/girl friend refused to have sex with me, I would drop her/him.Boys cannot control their sexual feelings.So boys should have sex whenever they feel like it.In a relationship the girl and boy should decide together if they wantto start having sex.A boy and girl in a relationship should decide together if they want to have sexA boy needs to have more than one girlfriend to show that he is a real man.A girl who suggests condoms is loose.I would be angry if my partner asked me to use a condom
The blisters are back again!
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