Final answer:
Herpes symptoms can appear in women within 2 to 12 days after exposure, but many infections are asymptomatic. Recurrent outbreaks are common and can be triggered by stress. There is no cure for herpes, but antiviral medications can reduce symptoms and transmission risk.
Step-by-step explanation:
The timing for when herpes symptoms appear can vary among individuals. In women, initial symptoms typically include mild discomfort or urinary issues, and may progress to blisters on the genital region which can be irritating or painful. These symptoms can take anywhere from 2 to 12 days to appear after exposure to the virus, but in many cases, individuals may not notice any symptoms. The first outbreak is usually the most severe and can be accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes. Recurrent outbreaks are common, particularly within the first year of infection. Over time, the number, duration, and severity of these outbreaks tend to decrease.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can remain latent in nervous tissue for a long time, and reactivation can occur intermittently due to triggers like stress. After initial infection, the body's immunity to the virus may decline as the virus resides in a dormant state. But once reactivated, the body's immune response will typically clear up the lesions in a few weeks by destroying the viruses in the skin.
It's important to note that genital herpes, caused by HSV-2 or increasingly by HSV-1, is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Most infections are asymptomatic, or symptoms may be very mild and go unnoticed, which can lead to unintentional transmission. However, blood tests can diagnose herpes infections, and while there is no cure, antiviral medications can lessen the symptoms and reduce the risk of transmission.