What's the Difference between Herpes Zoster and Herpes Simplex?

Medical Video: Herpes Simplex Virus in Depth / Alynn Alexander, MD

What is herpes? Most ordinary people may still not be familiar with this disease, or maybe only occasionally hear a few people talk about it, but not yet listened to the ins and outs of this disease.

Herpes is not included in the list of world diseases that must be reported regularly. However, it is different in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the number of cases of this disease in developing countries, including Indonesia, is higher than in developed countries.

Herpes is caused by the herpes virus which consists of 8 types, but only 2 are the most frequently studied, namely; herpes zoster and herpes simplex. Then what distinguishes the two types of herpes?

Shingles

Shingles is a skin disease that is more commonly known as snake pox or fire pox. This disease is caused by a virus similar to chickenpox, so people who have been exposed to chickenpox are at risk of being exposed to herpes zoster in the future. The risk will be greater if you have entered the age of the elderly.

Symptoms of shingles

A skin and sex specialist, Dr. I Gusti Nyoman Darmaputra explained that, symptoms the onset of the disease usually begins with the appearance of a feeling of discomfort on the right forehead and head such as migraine for about 1-5 days, followed by pain that grows more and more long and the pain.

But sometimes, the existence of this virus is unpredictable. Handling is often done only after a red bubble filled with fluid (acute phase). This might make it look like chicken pox. The difference, transmission of herpes zoster only occurs if there is direct contact with the infected skin.

Impact of shingles

In fact, Johnson et al's research in 2010 revealed that the handling of herpes zoster was late impact towards a person's quality of life, including:

This person will be more easily exhausted, lose weight, have trouble sleeping (physically)
The person becomes depressed, feels anxious, has difficulty concentrating and easily feels fear (psychological)
As a result the person becomes withdrawn and begins to isolate himself as well
Having difficulty in dressing, bathing, eating and other routine activities.

This is because, prolonged handling of herpes zoster can have several complications in other parts of the body (if the infection occurs in that part of the body), including the nervous system, eyes, ears, nose, throat to the part between the chest and pelvis.

Shingles can be prevented by several measures, including long-term use of acyclovir and administration of vaccines (according to a doctor's prescription).

READ ALSO: Treating Pain Due to Herpes Zoster (Fire Pox)

Herpes simplex

Unlike herpes zoster, herpes simplex is one of the venereal diseases. This disease marked by the emergence of group pimples such as grapes that contain water and very painful pubic (especially when broken and at the first time), and leave a dry wound and able to lose itself after rupture, approximately for 2 days to 3 weeks. Apart from around the genitals, the pimples can appear around the anus and mouth.

Unfortunately, this disease can relapse again. Especially for 1 year after being infected. Fortunately, the second time the symptoms become infected will not be as painful as the first time and even though the virus will continue to persist in your body, the number of symptoms will decrease over time.

Impact of herpes simplex

Need to get more attention when the sufferer is a pregnant woman, because impact this disease can threaten the life of the fetus and newborn. In other words, this disease can be transmitted both through the placenta and during labor. A study revealed that without adequate treatment, 80 percent of babies born with herpes simplex will die and even if they are successful, the baby will experience brain damage.

In addition to through the placenta, transmission of this disease is also obtained by having sex with a partner who has been infected with the virus. In other words, the only way to avoid this disease is not to have sex with a partner who has not tested the presence of the herpes simplex virus in his body.

The use of condoms may reduce the risk of transmission, but not fully able to protect. This is because, symptoms of herpes that can appear in any part of your body's organs are infected.