Can Genital Herpes be cured?

There are a variety of sexually transmitted infections, some of them well known (like Chlamydia) and others, not so much (such as Mycoplasma Genitalium). And as well as categorising STI’s into how wide-spread or how talked about they are, they can also be split into two distinct categories; curable and simply treatable. Genital herpes falls into the latter category, as there is no cure for it once you have picked up the infection.

Key Takeaways:

Genital Herpes is Incurable:

• Unlike bacterial STIs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, which can be cured with antibiotics, genital herpes is caused by a virus (herpes simplex virus) and cannot be cured. The body cannot completely clear the virus, so once contracted, it remains in the body forever.

Treatment and Management:

• While genital herpes cannot be cured, it can be managed with antiviral medications like Aciclovir. These medications help reduce the frequency and severity of flare-ups, allowing sufferers to manage their symptoms and maintain their daily activities.

Prevention Through Safe Practices:

• Preventing genital herpes involves practicing safe sex, such as using condoms during vaginal, anal, and oral sex, though condoms do not guarantee full protection. Open communication about sexual health with partners is crucial, and it's essential to discuss and understand the risks, especially during outbreaks.

Why can’t genital herpes be cured?

STI’s like Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea can be cured and cleared with a short course of antibiotics (sometimes only requiring a single dose). So why can’t the same be said of herpes? Well, the difference here is the same as that within realms outside of sexual health. It’s the same reason that you are warned not to take antibiotics for a cold or the flu and that’s because herpes is caused by a virus, not a bacteria.

Bacterial infections (like the aforementioned Chlamydia and gonorrhoea) can be cleared using antibiotics, but viral infections don’t respond to this kind of medication (Frejborg et al, 2022). Your body is also incapable of clearing certain viruses, which is why you live with genital herpes forever after contracting it; your body simply can’t get rid of it.

The herpes virus comes in a variety of strains including the herpes simplex virus 1 and the herpes simplex virus 2. The HSV1 is the virus that causes oral herpes, otherwise known as cold sores. This causes painful and infectious spots around the mouth and lips, that flare up and calm down in cycles. Genital herpes is caused by the HSV2 virus and it behaves in very much the same way, producing sores on the genitals that flare up and then go into remission again over time.

A little known fact is that the herpes virus is also responsible for chickenpox and shingles, in the form of the herpes zoster virus. Again, the virus creates small painful spots, but with chickenpox, it’s usually over the entire body. This explains why you only get chickenpox once; because your body is unable to dispel the virus completely and so a tiny amount simply lies dormant for years to come. When the virus gets reaggravated and changes slightly, this is when people experience shingles and this usually shows itself as a painful rash across the chest and back.

How can I treat genital herpes?

Although it cannot be cured, genital herpes can be treated and effectively managed. There are a number of antiviral medications like Aciclovir that help to keep the symptoms of herpes at bay (Mathew Jr & Sapra, 2022). This is designed to keep the number of flare-ups down so that sufferers can go about their daily lives as easily as possible.

How to avoid genital herpes?

Because the infection is a lifelong one, you’re probably going to want to avoid it as best you can. Safe sex practices are always advised, which means using condoms for all vaginal, anal and oral sex (Barton, 2005). However, herpes can affect any part of the skin in the genital region, which means that condoms don’t guarantee protection from the disease. While it may not be an airtight method of protection against herpes though, using condoms does significantly reduce the spread of the infection.

Avoiding contracting genital herpes is also about open and honest communication. You should always first discuss your sexual health (and theirs) with any potential new partners before having sex with them (Informedhealth.org, 2018), to identify how safe each of you is being. It is okay to have sex if you have genital herpes between outbreaks; not when you have active sores. However, you could still pass the infection on and so it’s important that your partner knows, understands and accepts the risks.

Medically Reviewed by:
Dr. Alexis Missick MBChB. MRCGP
GMC reference no: 7151419
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