Abstract
There are five human herpesviruses that are transmitted by intercourse and by other routes of intimate contact: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), cytomegalo-virus (HCMV), Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV or HHV-8), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Among them only HSV-2 and less frequently HSV-1 cause primary and recurrent genital disease (herpes genitalis). Intrapartum, the newborn may be infected and suffer from a life-threatening herpes neonatorum generalisatus. Sexually transmitted and ascending HCMV may prenatally infect and damage the fetus in utero, usually in the second and third trimester of pregnancy or intrapartum. Occult damages of the brain may lead to mental retardation. HHV-8 and EBV are (also) sexually transmitted and are responsible for oncologic diseases (lymphomas etc.) and other disorders of the lymphatic systems. For EBV infection, sexually transmission is of minor relevance. Herpesvirus infections persist –life-long by establishing a proviral latency in distinct body cells and by special immune escape mechanisms. 90, 80, 50, 20 and <1% of young adults in Europe have acquired EBV, HSV-1, HCMV, HSV-2, and HHV-8 infections. They are reactivated and spread during deficiency of the cell-mediated immunity causing opportunistic, partially life-threatening infectious diseases. Vaccination is not currently available, but antivirals can be successfully applied against HSV and HCMV. HHV-8 (and EBV) infection is stopped by natural or therapeutic immunoreconstitution. Laboratory diagnosis is fully developed with all kinds of virus (antigen/ nucleic acid) and antibody detection.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Embom, M., Strand, A., Falk, K.I., Linde, A.: Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus, but not human herpesvirus 8, DNA in cervical secretions from Swedish women by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Sex. Transmis. Dis. 28, 300–306 (2001)
Greene, W., Kuhne, K., Chen, J., Zhou, F., Lei, X., Gao, S.J.: Molecular biology of HHV-8 in relation to AIDS-associated oncogenesis. Cancer Treat. Rev. 133, 69–127 (2007)
Gupta, R., Warren, T., Wald, A.: Genital herpes. Lancet 370, 2127–2137 (2007)
Reddehase, M.J.: Special issue on cytomegalovirus. Med. Microbiol. Immunol. 197, 65–256 (2008)
Schmidt-Chanasit J, Bialonski A, Heinemann P, Ulrich RG, Günther S, Rabenau HF, Doerr HW: A 12-year molecular survey of clinical herpes simplex virus type 2 isolates demonstrates the circulation of clade A and B strains in Germany. J Clin Virol. 48, 208–211 (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Doerr, H.W., Gürtler, L.G., Wittek, M.W. (2011). Biology of Sexually Transmitted Herpes Viruses. In: Gross, G., Tyring, S. (eds) Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14663-3_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14663-3_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-14662-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-14663-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)