Viral infections of the genital tract

Increasing awareness of the range of viral pathogens infecting or being transmitted via the genital tract has been accompanied by greater knowledge of the prevalence and natural histories of the most common of these, namely herpes simplex virus and human papilloma virus, Unfortunately, the absence of effective vaccines and the evidence emerging that therapy of herpes simplex virus and human papilloma virus does not completely prevent viral replication causes clinicians much uncertainty in their practical management of patients. Emerging data on the relationship between viral detection in the laboratory, subclinical lesions and the risk of sexual transmission of these viruses is urgently required to unravel this problem.