A long-awaited inquest into the deaths of two mothers who died of herpes after being treated by the same surgeon began on Wednesday.
Kimberley Sampson and Samantha Mulcahy died from herpes infections six weeks apart having been treated in hospitals run by the East Kent NHS Hospitals Trust in 2018.
In 2018, 29-year-old barber Ms Sampson became seriously ill after her baby was delivered at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate. She was moved to King’s College Hospital in London where she was diagnosed with a herpes infection and died on 22 May 2018.
Six weeks later, 32-year-old nursery nurse Mrs Mulcahy died from an infection caused by the same virus at the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford.
Both women had undergone a Caesarean, and at the end of 2021 it was decided that a full inquest into their deaths would be held.
A pre-inquest review hearing was told the same surgeon and midwife were involved in both Miss Sampson and Mrs Mulcahy’s care.
The inquest was due to begin last month, but East Kent NHS Trust made an application for reporting restrictions which delayed the hearing until April 19.
What is herpes?
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex.
Two types of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) cause genital herpes:
- HSV-1. This type usually causes cold sores, but it can also cause genital herpes.
- HSV-2. This type usually causes genital herpes, but it can also cause cold sores.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2016 about 3.7 billion people under age 50 years had contracted HSV-1. In the same year, around 491 million people ages 15 to 49 years had an HSV-2 infection. The vast majority had no symptoms.
Herpes symptoms clear up on their own but can come back.
What are the symptoms of genital herpes?
General symptoms for men include blisters on the:
- penis
- scrotum
- buttocks (near or around the anus)
General symptoms for women include blisters around or near the:
- vagina
- anus
- buttocks
General symptoms for anyone include the following:
- blisters on the mouth and on the lips, face, and anywhere else that came into contact with areas of infection
- itchiness or tingling on the area of infection
- ulcerated blisters (open sores) which ooze fluid
- a crust which appears over the sores within a week of the outbreak
- swollen lymph glands
- headaches, body aches, and fever
- in women, discharge which is not normal for you
How is genital herpes passed on?
According to the NHS, genital herpes can be passed on:
- from skin-to-skin contact with the infected area (including vaginal, anal and oral sex)
- if a cold sore touches your genitals
- by transferring the infection on fingers from someone else to your genitals
- by sharing sex toys with someone who has herpes
Herpes symptoms can take months or even years to appear after infection.
Symptoms can also be transmitted when there are no visible sores or blisters.
How is herpes treated and is there a cure?
There is no cure for herpes at the moment. Outbreaks usually settle by themselves, but they can also come back.
Antiviral treatment from a sexual health clinic can alleviate symptoms. It can help shorten an outbreak by one or two days if you start taking it as soon as symptoms appear. Recurring outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes. Over time, outbreaks tend to happen less often and be less severe. In fact, most people who have the virus never have outbreaks.
