Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2: A Case Study

This was patient A.C.’s first pregnancy. She is 19-years-old and currently G1P1[T1; PT0; A(S)0; A(T)0; L1]. In addition, she tested positive for Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2); however, at the time of delivery there were not any current breakouts. HSV is defined as an infection that has an affinity for the skin and nervous system and usually results in small, temporary, irritating, and painful fluid-filled blisters on the skin and mucous membranes (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, Alden, & Olshansky, 2016). Particularly HSV-2 infections are usually restricted to the genital area. In addition, HSV-2 is most often transmitted during sexual contact and skin to skin contact while the virus is actively shedding. Signs and symptoms of the initial HSV-2 infection can include fever, itching, chills, painful lesions, fatigue, and dysuria that can last up to three weeks (Lowdermilk et al.,

Later on, recurrent lesions are usually less severe and can last up to seven days. Since HSV-2 is recurring, the postpartum mother will always have the possibility of undergoing another breakout.
However, during pregnancy, if a woman has a primary HSV-2 infection during her first trimester this can lead to a miscarriage of the fetus. If the primary infection occurs near the end of the pregnancy, it can cause neonatal infection, which can be fatal to the fetus. In addition, if the mother is contagious at the time of delivery, in other words, if the body is shedding the active virus, HSV-2 can also be transmitted to the newborn. If HSV-2 is transmitted to the newborn at the time of delivery it can cause skin, eye, and mouth infections that are characterized by sores that are already developed on the infant at the time of delivery or can develop