When to Seek Medical Care

With an initial outbreak, if you have signs or symptoms of a genital herpes infection, you should seek the care of a doctor as soon as possible, particularly if you have never been diagnosed with herpes before. Although genital herpes infections generally are not emergencies, treatment is more effective when it is started within the first few days of the outbreak.

Later outbreaks rarely need immediate medical attention.

• If you have had a herpes outbreak before, discuss options for preventing further outbreaks with your doctor.

• People with severe underlying medical problems (particularly HIV or AIDS) are at higher risk of severe illness if the disease is untreated. They should contact their doctors immediately upon noticing genital herpes sores.

• A pregnant woman with signs or symptoms of genital herpes must inform her doctor as soon as possible. Prompt medical therapy may reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to newborn children by exposure in the birth canal.

In otherwise healthy people, genital herpes outbreaks rarely require hospital visits. If you are experiencing an initial episode of herpes and cannot be seen by your regular doctor within the first few days of the illness, go to a hospital's emergency department to have medical treatment started.

• Some people can become quite ill from herpes infections. If you have a high fever, severe headache, shortness of breath, or extreme fatigue, go to the hospital for evaluation.

• People with severe medical illnesses (particularly HIV or AIDS) may become very ill from herpes infections. The herpes virus may quickly spread to the brain, lungs, and other organs. If this is your situation, seek prompt medical attention for herpes outbreaks. Go to a hospital if there is any sign of illness other than sores on the genitals.