[Psychological nursing for genital herpes patients receiving acyclovir plus thymosin and its effect on the incidence of adverse reactions].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application of psychological nursing in patients with genital herpes receiving acyclovir combined with thymosin and its effect on the incidence of adverse reactions. METHODS: A total of 160 patients with genital herpes treated with acyclovir plus thymosin in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were randomly allocated to receive conventional nursing (the control group, n = 80) and psychological nursing (the trial group, n = 80). Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to evaluate the anxiety and depression of the patients, and comparisons were made between the two groups of patients in their SAS and SDS scores, the incidence of adverse reactions and their satisfaction with nursing intervention. RESULTS: After nursing intervention, the patients of the trial group, compared with the controls, showed significantly lower SAS scores (39.05 ± 2.97 vs 45.71 ± 3.36, P < 0.01), SDS scores (41.74 ± 2.86 vs 47.28 ± 3.95, P < 0.01), and incidence of adverse reactions (22.50% vs 47.50%, P < 0.05), but a markedly higher rate of satisfaction with nursing intervention (95.00% vs 77.5%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological nursing can reduce the incidence of adverse reactions in genital herpes patients receiving acyclovir combined with thymosin and meanwhile improve the mental status of the patients by alleviating their anxiety and depression.

Diseño de un programa psicoeducativo para el cuidado de pacientes con herpes simple genital / Design of a psycho-educational program for the care of genital herpes simplex

Introducción: En Cuba, se reporta alta incidencia y prevalencia de herpes simple genital. Sin embargo, los/as enfermeros/as encuestadores carecen de una herramienta metodológica para el cuidado de estos pacientes en la Atención Primaria de Salud. Objetivos: Por tal motivo, se realizó un estudio que respondió a un proyecto de desarrollo con el objetivo de diseñar un programa psicoeducativo para disminuir el riesgo en la salud sexual y los problemas psicosociales de los pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de herpes simple genital. Métodos: Para el diseño del programa psicoeducativo se utilizaron las tres primeras etapas del modelo de Giordan. En este sentido, se realizó un estudio fenomenológico en 8 pacientes con diagnóstico de herpes simple genital, para determinar las necesidades de aprendizaje y se sometió a criterio de expertos para establecer los objetivos, métodos y contenidos del programa psicoeducativo. Resultados: El programa quedó conformado por seis sesiones encaminadas a disminuir los problemas psicosociales, incrementar la autoeficacia en el uso del condón, el conocimiento sobre la enfermedad, la eficacia para tener sexo seguro y la eficacia para comunicar la enfermedad. Conclusiones Se diseñó un programa psicoeducativo que incorporó cinco ejes (problemas psicológicos, conocimientos sobre la enfermedad, uso del condón, sexo seguro y revelado de la enfermedad)(AU)

Introduction: In Cuba a high incidence and prevalence of genital herpes simplex is reported. However, nurses and pollters have not available a methodological means for the care of these patients in Primary Health Care. Objectives: Thus, authors conducted an study that is in keeping with to a project of development to design a psycho-educational program to decrease the risk in sexual health and the psychosocial problems of patients clinically diagnosed with genital herpes simplex. Methods: For design of above mentioned program the three stages of the Giordan form were used. In this sense, a phenomenology study was conducted in 8 patients diagnosed with genital herpes simplex, to determine the needs of learning submitting to expert's criteria to establish the objectives, methods and contents of psycho-educational program. Results: The program included six sessions aimed to decrease the psychosocial problems, to increase the self-effectiveness in the use of condom, the knowledge on disease, a safe intercourse and the efficiency to communicate the disease. Conclusions: A psycho-educational program was designed incorporating five key features (psychological problems, knowledges on disease, use of condom, safe intercourse and developing of disease)(AU)

Genital herpes testing among persons living with HIV.

This cross-sectional survey explored the frequency of genital herpes testing among 110 people living with HIV (PLWH) and reported barriers and facilitators related to testing. Forty-four percent of the respondents had not been tested for genital herpes since receiving an HIV diagnosis, 34% had been tested, and 22% preferred not to say. Respondents' most frequently cited factors affecting a decision to not be tested were: (a) testing not being recommended by a provider, (b) not having herpes symptoms, and (c) not thinking they had herpes. Data from this study indicated that PLWH were not frequently tested for genital herpes; there was a limited understanding of the frequently subclinical nature of infection; and provider recommendations for testing, or lack thereof, affected testing decisions.

Infantile vesicular rash.

Neonatal rashes are common but can cause significant anxiety and concern to parents and health professionals. Most often these rashes are benign and parents need to be reassured. It is important to be aware of the uncommon but potentially serious rashe seen in the neonatal period such as neonatal herpes, inconentia pigmentii. Neonatal herpes is one of the most serious perinatal infections and is commonly caused by infected maternal genital secretions at the time of birth. The outcome of an untreated herpes infection can be devastating as high incidence of mortality is recorded in disseminated herpes and herpes encephalitis infections. Midwifery staff can help in the detection of asymptomatic herpes cases in pregnant women by taking a detailed history of previous herpes infections, as viral shredding is known to occur in such cases. Presented here is a case of neonatal herpes skin, eye and mucosa syndrome which, at times, can cause a diagnostic challenge and delay as was seen in this case..

Patients support innovative models of care in recurrent genital herpes clinics: results from a patient satisfaction study.

Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and is characterized by recurrent, painful, ulcerative lesions. Severe psychosocial disturbance has been described in a variety of settings and there are well-documented associations with poor self-esteem, centred around contagion and stigma. Recurrent genital herpes (RGH) is traditionally managed by doctors in the genitourinary medicine clinic setting; we wanted to evaluate patient's opinions on alternative models of care. We performed a questionnaire of patients attending our RGH clinic to ascertain patients' opinions and preferences. Seventy four percent of patients expressed a wish to see the same health-care professional at follow-up visits and 62% supported the idea of a nurse-led clinic. One-third found the concept of group sessions acceptable. Regarding GP follow-up management and prescribing, there was a split response with almost equal numbers accepting and rejecting this proposition (42 versus 45%). Seventy-six percent of patients thought that RGH had important psychological impact on their lives and 58% found the prospect of psychological referral acceptable.

Living with genital herpes: how effective is antiviral therapy?

Twenty-five percent of American women and 20% of American men have genital herpes. Most of these individuals have never been diagnosed because of the prevalence of atypical clinical presentation and subclinical infection. This chronic, recurrent infection poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in women of childbearing age, who are at risk of transmitting the virus to their infants during pregnancy and birth, as well as to their discordant sexual partners. Antiviral therapy decreases the rate of recurrent episodes, decreases asymptomatic shedding of the virus, reduces the risk of transmission to sexual partners, and reduces the rate of operative delivery in women with a history of genital herpes. This article reviews the literature to explore evidence-based strategies for addressing the physical and psychological sequelae of herpes simplex virus infection and for accurately diagnosing and managing neonates who acquire this infection perinatally.

Psychosocial outcomes in individuals living with genital herpes.

Genital infection, a common chronic sexually transmitted infection, is associated with physical and psychosocial concerns. While recognizing that some patients are able to take advantage of medication to chronically suppress the virus, researchers have examined the role that stress and other variables play in the frequency of outbreaks a patient might experience. In this article, several theories are reviewed from the stress literature that relate to patients' experience with herpes: the adjustment issues associated with having herpes, the role of social support, and the issue of disclosure. These theories and their clinical implications are discussed within the context of nursing interventions.

Aseptic herpetic meningitis: an uncommon genital herpes sequelae.

Aseptic herpetic meningitis is a clinical syndrome characterized by fever, headaches, confusion, and a combination of meningeal signs. The spinal fluid findings consist of an increase in mononuclear cells (mononuclear pleocytosis), increased protein concentration, and normal glucose concentrations. Aseptic herpetic meningitis is thought to be caused by a viral infection, although the specific virus is usually not demonstrated. The condition is self-limited and requires no treatment.

Effects of psycho-educational interventions on sexual health risks and psycho-social adaptation in young adults with genital herpes.

The purpose of this study was to test the outcomes of group psycho-educational intervention (PEI) led by nurses on sexual health risks (knowledge, behaviour, disease burden) and psycho-social adaptation (depression, mood states, self-efficacy) in young adults with the chronic disease, genital herpes. Two hundred and fifty-two young adults with symptomatic genital herpes participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The intervention was participation in a three-session group PEI facilitated by a nurse in the community. Participants completed questionnaires measuring sexual health risks (herpes knowledge, sexual risk behaviour, disease burden of patterns of recurrences of outbreaks of the disease), and psycho-social adaptation (depression using the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], mood states using the Profile of Mood States [POMS], and feelings of self-efficacy for protection from sexually transmitted diseases [PSTD]) at induction into the study, and at 3 and 6 months. Participants were mainly employed, Caucasian, single women in their twenties (X = 27.1 years, SD = 4.3), with some college education; 23% of the sample were men. After controlling for baseline knowledge about genital herpes, the experimental group had significantly more knowledge than the control group at 3 and 6 months' post-intervention. They also reported using condoms and spermicides to prevent the spread of genital herpes more often than did the control group. The implications for nurses in the community include the following: (a) PEI is an intervention that can be used by nurses in the community with a high-risk population; (b) group intervention is a viable treatment for people with a highly stigmatized, chronic sexually transmitted disease (STD); and (c) further testing of the use of PEI by nurses in the community with other high-risk populations is needed.

Identification and treatment of herpes lesions.

Infections caused by the herpes family of viruses are on the rise. Mucocutaneous herpes infections are caused by herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 and varicella-zoster virus. Herpes simplex virus commonly causes oral-labial or genital infection, and varicella-zoster virus causes chicken pox and shingles. Clinical features frequently are atypical, particularly in compromised patients. Therefore, a high index of suspicion must be maintained for early diagnosis. Availability of easy-to-perform rapid diagnostic tests and several potent antiherpetic agents have vastly improved the management of herpes infections.

Evaluating change in quality of life from the perspective of the person: advanced practice nursing and Parse's goal of nursing.

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are challenged to evaluate their practice in light of goals guided by nursing theory. In this specific case study, a nurse consultant, using Parse's theory of human becoming, evaluated changes in the quality of life from the perspective of the person for patients suffering from genital herpes. The nurse consultant met with the group before (presession) and after (postsession) an APN's 10-week series of seven sessions (person/group-perspective intervention). Analysis of pre- and postsession data uncovered three patterns. These are described with implications for research and practice.

Parse's theory in practice with a group in the community.

The author, a nurse guided by Parse's theory of human becoming, describes one way to focus on quality of life in person-centered practice with a group in the community, in contrast to traditional nursing practice with groups in which the focus is on problems, learning, and socially-defined responsibility. The author describes living true presence over a 10-week period in accord with Parse's practice method with a group of persons with genital herpes. Emerging patterns of health of the group are reported along with a loose agenda for community-based practice.

Genital herpes and prevention of HIV infection: the report of a study in progress.

Although genital herpes is not a reportable disease, research has shown that about one in five women and one in eight men carry the antibody. The chronic ulcerative disease may place affected individuals at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This article directs attention to a study-in-progress of adaptation in young adults with genital herpes. The use of qualitative and quantitative approaches in the study of adaptation will increase knowledge of adaptation regarding both process and outcome.

Genital herpes. An overview.

Data from the National Disease and Therapeutic Index (NDTI) Survey indicate that the number of physician-patient consultations concerning genital herpes increased 15-fold between 1966 and 1984. Because of the increased incidence of genital herpes, the great variance in symptoms and severity of outbreaks, and the frequent misrepresentation of the nature of herpes simplex, all health-care practitioners should receive up-to-date information on the disorder. This article is intended to educate health-care professionals about genital herpes.

Psychosocial aspects of genital herpes: a review of the literature.

Understanding the psychosocial aspects of genital herpes will enable community health nurses to be aware of the range of responses by young adults to the disease and of interventions suggested by research. Reviewed are the epidemiology of genital herpes infection; the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to it; the psychosocial consequences of and techniques for coping and adaptation to living with the disease; responses to treatment; and implications for community health nursing.