back to Canada directory
canada clinical guidance

Genital herpes (HSV): first episode, recurrence, suppression

A Canadian clinical summary of genital herpes (hsv): first episode, recurrence, suppression, with source-attributed priorities and explicit jurisdiction boundaries.

JurisdictionCanada
Source check2026-08-20
Clinical reviewiatroX editorial team 路 Clinical editorial review 路 reviewed 2026-08-20 路 due 2027-08-20
AudienceHealthcare professionals practising in Canada
This is an iatroX educational summary of named Canada sources, not an official guideline. It does not replace the complete source documents, local policy, specialist advice or clinical judgement. The evidence source is pan-Canadian, but formularies, funded access, referral routes, public-health directions and service availability remain provincial or territorial.

Source and scope

This summary is bounded to the recommendations, population and decisions covered by Genital herpes guide: Treatment and follow-up. Apply it with the current provincial or territorial pathway where implementation differs.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Source-attributed clinical priorities

  • Use lesion nucleic-acid testing when available and assess for other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections.
  • Treat a first clinical episode promptly and individualize episodic or suppressive therapy for recurrences.
  • Provide transmission, partner, pregnancy and neonatal-risk counselling without relying on lesion absence to imply zero risk.
  • Type-specific confirmation helps prognosis and partner counselling when a lesion specimen can be obtained.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Practical assessment and management workflow

1
Assess lesion onset, pain, urinary symptoms, pregnancy, neurologic symptoms and other STI exposure.
2
Swab a fresh lesion for nucleic-acid testing and offer appropriate STI and HIV testing.
3
Treat first episode promptly and discuss episodic versus suppressive therapy for recurrence.
4
Counsel about asymptomatic shedding, condoms, disclosure and symptom-triggered abstinence.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Safety, red flags and urgent escalation

  • Urinary retention, meningitic symptoms, disseminated disease or severe immunosuppression needs urgent care.
  • Genital herpes in pregnancy requires immediate obstetric coordination to reduce neonatal risk.
  • Do not use a negative late-lesion swab to definitively exclude infection.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Confirm the local pathway before acting

The evidence source is pan-Canadian, but formularies, funded access, referral routes, public-health directions and service availability remain provincial or territorial.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Source and implementation boundary

Read this educational summary with the linked source, current Canadian product information where medicines are involved, and the applicable provincial or territorial pathway. Local formularies, reporting duties, referral routes and service availability can differ.
sources for this section:PHAC genital herpes

Source documents

Use the linked source documents for complete recommendations, evidence grading, exclusions and implementation detail.

  1. Public Health Agency of CanadaGenital herpes guide: Treatment and follow-upaccessed 2026-08-20
    view source
continue the learning

From guidance to deliberate practice and evidence

Choose what happens next. iatroX can carry this page's jurisdiction, source-check date and released version into an editable learning record, support your reflection, or let you browse the regional question bank while keeping this topic visible. No action records completion, starts a session or awards CPD/CME credit automatically.

Add this guidance review to CPD/CMEOpen an editable learning-log record with this page鈥檚 provenance attached. You confirm the activity, time, reflection and mappings.Reflect on this with TutorUse optional prompts to consider what you learned and what鈥攊f anything鈥攜ou may change. Suggestions are never inserted automatically.Browse the Canada question bankKeep this guidance topic in view, then choose your exam and filters. No session starts automatically.
Found a source update or regional discrepancy? Tell the iatroX editorial team.