All clinical management guidelines

Short (two-day) course treatment for recurrent genital herpes was approved in Australia in 2008. If patient-initiated at the onset of symptoms, this form of treatment can be as effective as the more established five-day course.

People diagnosed with genital herpes usually have many questions and concerns, a key one being anxiety about possible transmission of the infection to a partner. Similarly, an uninfected partner is often anxious about the possibility of acquiring genital herpes from the infected person.

There are now a number of simple commercially available ELISA tests for type-specific HSV infection. These test are relatively simple to perform in the laboratory, and are now being produced by a number of companies.

Most genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), although herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) accounts for half the new cases in developed countries. The major concern of HSV is its frequency of recurrences, its chronicity and its effects on patient personal relationships while asymptomatic shedding is an important source of transmission of the virus to other susceptible individuals.

HSV infections are often diagnosed clinically, but laboratory diagnosis is required for prescribing antiviral medications under Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Diagnosis can be confirmed with one of four methods in Australia: viral isolation, direct antigen detection, PCR and type-specific serology.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a unique member of the Herpesviridae family, as it can infect both skin and nerves and develop latent infection within the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia. Infection with this virus is common and causes a wide range of clinical syndromes. Although this virus infects healthy children and adults, disease is more severe and extensive in the immunocompromised.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a unique member of the Herpesviridae family, as it can infect both skin and nerves and develop latent infection within the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia. Infection with this virus is common and causes a wide range of clinical syndromes. Although this virus infects healthy children and adults, disease is more severe and extensive in the immunocompromised.

Herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, causes a painful rash which can have significant and long-standing consequences. Treating the rash quickly reduces its painfulness and duration and minimises the likelihood of debilitating sequelae.

Herpes infections of the eye include keratitis, corneal dendrites, corneal scarring, uveitis, acute retinitis, chronic conjunctivitis and neurotrophic keratopathy. The principal challenge for clinicians is tailoring the management to the type of damage.