Genital Herpes Simplex Screening, Essay Example

Screening for genital herpes is an important process because while the disease can occasionally present itself as asymptomatic, it continues to be contagious. Since there are only treatments for the disease and no cure, it is essential for all affected individuals to be aware of their disease status and to engage in appropriate behavior. Because this virus is transmitted through intercourse, it is important for individuals who have the disease or suspect that they have the disease use preventative birth control methods, such as condoms, to avoid infecting their partners.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends that individuals do not get tested if they are asymptomatic for the disease. Therefore, neither asymptomatic pregnant women nor asymptomatic adolescents or adults should receive the screening. However, if individuals are symptomatic, there are a variety of tests that could be used to help confirm the presence of the disease. These include “viral culture, polymerase chain reaction, and antibody-based tests, such as the western blot assay and type-specific glycoprotein G serological tests” (AHRQ, n.d.). Furthermore, it would be important to advise an interested patient about what these tests would require them to do, and how the sample will be obtained. Many of these patients have regular gynecological examinations, and it is therefore important for them to understand that their testing for genital herpes will be conducted similarly to pap smears that they have likely received in the past.

In the situation in which a 21 y/o female tells me that she is experiencing increased itching and burning around the vaginal area since past two weeks, I would recommend that she receives the screening because she is not asymptomatic. A viral culture would likely be the most effective type of screening for this particular situation because it will help the medical team determine her viral load and to recommend medication based on this observation. This will help determine if she is a good candidate for antiviral therapy based on this observation in addition to allowing the medical team to provide her with information that pertains to living with this disorder.

However, if the woman had no symptoms, it would not be beneficial to test her. Studies have shown that testing pregnant women, for example, leads to many false positives or false negatives that lead to the women incorrectly understanding their disease state. Since it has been determined that there are no health benefits related to screening for this group of women, it is generally not recommended. Furthermore, these risks are comparable for adolescents and adults who are not demonstrating these symptoms. It is more important for the results to be correct about the disease state than it is to provide the test immediately, so it is better to advise these particular patients that they should wait to observe disease related symptoms before coming in for testing.

It is also necessary for individuals who wish to experience genital herpes testing to understand the symptoms of similar diseases so that they are certain that they are not mistaking the symptoms that they are experiencing for a similar sexually transmitted disease. As a consequence, it may be beneficial for symptomatic individuals to undergo a panel of STD testing to ensure that all possibilities are considered as a part of their diagnosis.

References

AHRQ. (n.d.). Genital Herpes. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/clinicians-providers/guidelines-recommendations/guide/section2b.html#Herpes