viral infection of the Genitourinary system A female felt bu

viral infection of the Genitourinary system

A female felt bumps in her genital area while inserting a tampon into her vagina. She made an appointment at her clinic immediately after her period was over. She did some research before her appointment and had an idea about what she may have, she was scared to death. Other than the bumps she felt and later observed in a mirror (they were flesh colored) she had no signs or symptoms. Since she practiced safe sex regularly with all but one of her past 2 boyfriends she thought she knew from whom she became infected. I accompanied my friend per her request to her appointment where she had a colposcopy, Pap smear, and a urine test to determine what was going in her body. The results from her tests were given to her that same day.

            The nurse practitioner told my friend that just because she had unprotected sex with her last ex-boyfriend does not necessarily mean that he is who infected her. Since the incubation time varies, and most people don’t develop symptoms she could have been infected by a previous partner and been in the dormant state physically manifesting after the fact. She received an acid treatment to essentially burn off the “bumps” which she said was painful, and the nurse practitioner told her that her immune system should clear the infection from her body within two years. She was also told to make sure she scheduled a follow up appointment 6 months from that day to ensure she hadn’t developed any changes in her cervical cells.

Questions:

1) What is the diagnosis and the causal agent?

2) How many serotypes of this virus? How many infect the genitals?

3) What are possible complications for females and for males?

Solution

1) The diagnosis is for Genital warts, also known as genital herpes.It is difficult to diagnose genital herpes as there are no such symptoms seen.However,laboratory testing methods such as culture of virus,biopsy of skin, direct fluorescenantibody techniques to detect the presence of virus and polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of viral DNA can be carried out to confirm diagnosis of genital herpes.The causal agent is Herpes simplex virus.

2) There are 2 serotypes of this virus i.e HSV-1 and HSV-2.Previously only HSV-2 infected the genitals but now more than 80% of the genital infections are caused by HSV-1.

3) Complication for females: In females,lesions or bumps in the vagina, clitoris,vulva,buttocks or anus.Females may experience pain during urination and the uterine cervix gets inflammed.

Complication for males:In males, the lesions appear o the genital areas,in thigh, buttocks as well.There may occur watery discharge from the genitals as well.