[1] When symptoms do occur, they typically include small blisters that break open to form painful ulcers.

[1] The disease is typically spread by direct genital contact with the skin surface or secretions of someone who is infected.

[1] Complications may rarely include aseptic meningitis, an increased risk of HIV/AIDS if exposed to HIV-positive individuals, and spread to the baby during childbirth resulting in neonatal herpes.

Less frequent, yet still common, symptoms include discharge from the penis or vagina, fever, headache, muscle pain (myalgia), swollen and enlarged lymph nodes and malaise.

Herpetic proctitis (inflammation of the anus and rectum) is common for individuals participating in anal intercourse.

[9] In rare cases, involvement of the sacral region of the spinal cord can cause acute urinary retention and one-sided symptoms and signs of myeloradiculitis (a combination of myelitis and radiculitis): pain, sensory loss, abnormal sensations (paresthesia) and rash.

[12] People with recurrent genital herpes may be treated with suppressive therapy, which consists of daily antiviral treatment using acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir.

[6] An infected person may further decrease transmission risks by maintaining a daily dose of antiviral medications.

[19] Per the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, routine screening for pregnant women without a history of genital herpes is not recommended.

[citation needed] Pregnant women should notify their doctor if they show symptoms of genital herpes.

[19] If a pregnant woman is symptomatic during delivery, a Cesarean section is the safest method of preventing contact and transmission of herpes simplex virus between the mother and the baby.

[19] Acyclovir may help reduce the frequency of symptomatic recurrence near term but may not definitively protect against transmission in all cases.

Antiviral medications provide clinical benefits to those who are symptomatic and is the primary means of management once infected.

The main goal for the use of antiviral medications is to treat the first outbreak or to prevent genital herpes recurrences, improve quality of life, and help suppress the virus to sexual transmission to partners.

Acyclovir is an antiviral medication and reduces the pain and the number of lesions in the initial case of genital herpes.

Asymptomatic shedding can also occur where an individual may not have genital ulcerations present but still possibly transmit the virus to other partners.

It is important for patients to have a discussion with their primary care doctor for options of receiving either episodic treatment or long-term suppressive therapies.

[20] Suppressive therapy has been shown effective in reducing recurrent genital herpes in as high as 80% which can tremendously help in improving quality of life since patients claim having minimal symptomatic episodes.

Furthermore, long-term treatment of genital herpes with valacyclovir daily has shown to decrease the rates of transmission.

[25] It is important for patients to continue suppressive therapy in conjunction to consistent condom use and sexual abstinence during recurrent episodes to decrease transmission as well.

[29] Early 20th century public health legislation in the United Kingdom required compulsory treatment for sexually transmitted infections but did not include herpes because it was not serious enough.

[30] After the development of acyclovir in the 1970s, the drug company Burroughs Wellcome launched an extensive marketing campaign that publicized the illness, including creating victim's support groups.