Pictures of small blisters on the penis

Small blisters on the male genitals may be caused by genital herpes, which is one of the common sexually transmitted diseases.

Clinical symptoms

1. Initial onset of genital herpes

Initial genital herpes is divided into primary genital herpes and non-primary initial genital herpes. The former is the first time that HSV is infected and the symptoms appear, which is primary genital herpes. Its condition is relatively serious. Some patients have experienced HSV-1 infection in the past (mainly lips or facial herpes) and then re-infected with HSV-2 and have genital herpes for the first time. This is non-primary initial genital herpes, and its condition is relatively mild.

(1) The critical period is 3 to 14 days.

(2) There are clusters or scattered small blisters on the reproductive organs or anus, which will burst after 2 to 4 days to produce erosions or ulcers and cause active pain.

(3) The inguinal lymph nodes are often swollen and tender.

(4) Patients may experience systemic symptoms such as fever, headache, and fatigue.

(5) History of illness lasting 2 to 3 weeks.

2. Recurrent genital herpes

After the primary skin lesions disappear, the rash recurs. Recurrent genital herpes is milder than primary systemic symptoms and skin lesions, and the history of illness is shorter.

(1) Before the rash appears, there is a burning sensation, a pricking sensation, or a feeling of abnormality.

(2) Clusters of small blisters appear on the reproductive organs or anus, which quickly burst to produce erosions or shallow ulcers. The active symptoms are relatively mild.

(3) History of illness: 7 to 10 days.

Clinical epidemiology

1. Pathogen

Humans are the only natural host of herpes simplex virus. Patients in the onset period, recovery period after surgery, and those infected with the virus without obvious symptoms are the pathogens of this disease. The virus is mainly spread through the abscess fluid, local exudate, and the surface of the skin and mucous membranes of the lesions. This disease is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse, and is less likely to be indirectly transmitted through environmental contaminated objects. In addition, mothers with genital herpes can directly transmit the virus to their newborns through the birth canal during the delivery process, or if they become ill during pregnancy, the virus can be transmitted to the fetus through the embryo.

2. Transmission channels

Infected people mainly infect their sexual partners through sexual intercourse. Male homosexuals are also at great risk of infection. Sometimes people with herpes on their lips and surrounding areas can infect their partners with genital herpes through oral-genital intercourse. Therefore, different forms of heterosexual or homosexual intercourse can spread genital herpes. Because the infectious virus can survive for several hours in a humid environment, it is also possible to spread indirectly through air pollutants in rare cases.