What is genital Herpes?

I seen a commercial last night on television and I never learned what it was. Well actually I know it is an STD, but what does it do? What are the symtoms? Yeah, I'm 13 and I don't plan on Sex if thats what you're thinking. I just want to know what it really is.

THERE IS NO CURE FOR HERPES! THERE ARE ONLY TREATMENTS!
Genital herpes is an infection of the genitals, buttocks, or anal area caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV:

1)HSV type 1: most commonly infects the mouth and lips, causing sores known as fever blisters or cold sores. It is also an important cause of sores to the genitals.
2)HSV type 2: is the usual cause of genital herpes, but it also can infect the mouth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of 5 American teenagers and adults is infected with HSV-2. Women are more commonly infected than men. In the United States, 1 out of 4 women is infected with HSV-2.

Since the late 1970s, the number of people with genital herpes infection has increased 30 percent nationwide. The largest increase has been among teens and young adults.
THIS IS HOW YOU GET GENITAL HERPES:
Most people get genital herpes by having sex with someone who is shedding the herpes virus either during an outbreak or during a period with no symptoms. People who do not know they have herpes play an important role in transmission.
You can transmit herpes through close contact other than sexual intercourse, through oral sex or close skin-to-skin contact, for example.
The virus is spread rarely, if at all, by objects such as a toilet seat or hot tub

SYMPTONS:Symptoms of herpes are called outbreaks. The first outbreak appears within 2 weeks after you become infected and can last for several weeks. These symptoms might include tingling or sores near the area where the virus has entered the body, such as on the genital or rectal area, on buttocks or thighs, or occasionally on other parts of the body where the virus has entered through broken skin. They also can occur inside the vagina and on the cervix in women, or in the urinary passage of women and men. Small red bumps appear first, develop into small blisters, and then become itchy, painful sores that might develop a crust and will heal without leaving a scar.

Sometimes, there is a crack or raw area or some redness without pain, itching, or tingling.

Other symptoms that may accompany the first (and less often future) outbreak of genital herpes are fever, headache, muscle aches, painful or difficult urination, vaginal discharge, and swollen glands in the groin area.

Often, though, people don鈥檛 recognize their first or subsequent outbreaks. People who have mild or no symptoms at all may not think they are infected with herpes. They can still transmit the virus to others, however.
RECCURANCE:In most people, the virus can become active and cause outbreaks several times a year. This is called a recurrence, and infected people can have symptoms. HSV remains in certain nerve cells of your body for life. When the virus is triggered to be active, it travels along the nerves to your skin. There, it makes more virus and sometimes new sores near the site of the first outbreak.
RECURRANCE SYMPTONS:Symptoms from recurrences might include itching, tingling, vaginal discharge, and a burning feeling or pain in the genital or anal area. Sores may be present during a recurrence, but sometimes they are small and easily overlooked. Source(s): RESEARCH
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports research on genital herpes and HSV. Studies are currently underway to develop better treatments for the millions of people who suffer from genital herpes. While some scientists are carrying out clinical trials to determine the best way to use existing medicines, others are studying the biology of HSV. NIAID scientists have identified certain genes and enzymes (proteins) that the virus needs to survive. They are hopeful that drugs aimed at disrupting these viral targets might lead to the design of more effective treatments.

Meanwhile, other researchers are devising methods to control the virus鈥?spread. Two important means of preventing HSV infection are vaccines and topical microbicides.

Several different vaccines are in various stages of development. These include vaccines made from proteins on the HSV cell surface, peptides or chains of amino acids, and the DNA of the virus itself. NIAID and GlaxoSmithKline are supporting a large clinical trial in women of an experimental vaccine that may help prevent transmission of genital herpes. The trial is being conducted at more than 35 sites nationwide. For more information, click here Herpevac Trial for Women or go to herpesvaccine.nih.gov.

Please see the webpages for more details on Genital warts. Please note that one fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused by a chronic infection, for example human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver cancer.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/genital_war...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/medica...
The first person who answered this question confused genital warts (caused by HPV) with herpes (HSV). Herpes does not cause genital warts although you can contract this STD and genital warts at the same time. Herpes causes sores on the genitals but these sores ARE NOT genital warts. There is no cure for this disease, only treatment options. Pregnant women with genital herpes are advised to deliver via c-section. Using a condom will not protect you from getting genital herpes. Be safe and good luck!
This first person is wrong. They are confusing HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) with the herpes virus. Those are two completely different viruses and have nothing to do with each other.

Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States and worldwide.

Genital herpes (also called HSV infection) is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that may cause skin blisters and sores in the genital area, but often causes no visible symptoms. It is possible to get genital herpes through sexual contact with an infected person even if he or she has no symptoms.

I have had genital herpes for over 5 years now. There is no cure, but the symptoms (blisters) can be treated with medication. People with genital herpes have an initial outbreak (or their first outbreak) and then they have reoccurring outbreaks throughout the years. The initial outbreak is the most severe. Mine was so painful my doctor prescribed me Vicodin. I had to call off of work a few days, it hurt to walk and even sit down. The reoccurring outbreaks are not nearly as bad. And, the longer the person has genital herpes, the less outbreaks they typically have. My last outbreak was over a year and 1/2 ago.

Hope that answered your question!
Personal experience. I have had genital herpes for over 5 years.