CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.
Herpes simplex - genital - Management
What else might it be?
- A number of different conditions can resemble genital herpes:
- Vulvovaginal candidiasis — it is estimated that over 50% of women infected with herpes simplex virus are misdiagnosed as having candidiasis or another cause of vulvitis.
- Other infections (e.g. gonorrhoea, non-gonococcal urethritis, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis).
- Skin disorders (e.g. atopic or contact dermatitis, psoriasis, scabies, folliculitis, lichen sclerosis).
- Other systemic conditions (e.g. Reiter's syndrome, Behçet's syndrome, Crohn's disease, and malignancy).
© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement