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Genital Herpes — SCE Dermatology MCQ

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ModerateGenital DermatologyGenital HerpesSCE Dermatology

A 30-year-old woman with recurrent genital herpes has been on suppressive Valaciclovir 500 mg daily for 12 months. She asks whether she can stop treatment. What is the recommended approach?

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Correct answer: A — After 12 months of suppressive therapy, stop and reassess — many patients have reduced recurrence frequency and may not need continued suppression

BASHH guidelines recommend reviewing suppressive antiviral therapy after 12 months to reassess the need for continued treatment. Many patients have reduced recurrence frequency over time (natural history of genital herpes shows decreasing recurrence rates over years). After stopping suppressive therapy, some patients have infrequent or no recurrences and may switch to episodic treatment (treating individual outbreaks) rather than continuous suppression. Others experience early recurrence and benefit from continued suppression. The decision should be individualised based on recurrence frequency, psychosocial impact, and partner considerations.

Reference: BASHH 2014 Genital Herpes; BAD