On-line Learning Zone
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About the
On-line Learning Zone

This section is aimed particularly at busy physicians and other healthcare professionals.

Visitors will find slides and notes from keynote lectures covering a wide range of herpesvirus-related topics. They will also find a diagnostic atlas comprising clinical photographs of herpesvirus infections accompanied by diagnostic notes.

Visitors are welcome to both view and download every file included in this section.

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To view the PowerPoint presentations you will require Microsoft PowerPoint. You can download the latest PowerPoint viewer free from the Microsoft website.
Diagnostic Atlas Back to contents
Primary genital herpes due to HSV-2

Slide 5
Cervicitis associated with primary genital herpes


The majority of women who develop primary anogenital herpes will have intravaginal and cervical infection contemporaneously with their external anogenital lesions. More than 80% of these women will have a cervicitis, which will be visible on examination. In many cases the patient will be too sore to be examined at the time of their first presentation with primary genital herpes. If the patient can be examined then, as shown in slide 5, there may be a very florid herpes cervicitis with necrotic slough present across the cervix. The appearance can be alarming to the physician, as it suggests cervical carcinoma, and it is important that this differential diagnosis is considered but, almost always, rejected. The cervix will heal over the time course of the natural history of primary infection and healing will be promoted by the use of antivirals. It is important that a follow-up examination is done in order to check that the cervical appearance has healed. If there is no improvement or if there is any residual lesion, then cervical sampling to exclude cervical dysplasia should be arranged. It is essential that patients presenting with primary genital herpes have a full sexual health screen, including tests for cervical and chlamydial gonorrhoea, both of which can also cause a florid cervicitis. If a patient presenting with primary genital herpes also has abdominal pain with symptoms and signs of upper genital tract tenderness, the patient should be co-managed as having suspected pelvic inflammatory disease and appropriate antibiotic therapy given alongside antiviral therapy.
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Last Updated : 28/07/2005 13:44:32