Which viral sexually transmitted infection is characterized by a primary infection followed by recurrent episodes?

A. Human papillomavirus (HPV): HPV infection typically presents as genital warts or is detected through abnormal Pap test results. While it may persist in a latent state, it does not cause recurrent symptomatic outbreaks in the same way HSV does. B. Cytomegalovirus (CMV): CMV infection is usually asymptomatic in healthy adults and tends to remain dormant after the initial infection. It rarely causes recurrent symptomatic episodes unless the immune system becomes severely compromised. C. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): HIV leads to chronic progressive immunosuppression rather than intermittent recurrences. The virus continuously replicates, and symptoms worsen over time rather than occurring in episodic flare-ups. D. Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2: HSV-2 causes a primary genital infection followed by latent periods in the nerve ganglia and recurrent episodes triggered by stress, illness, or immune changes. These recurrences are characteristic of HSV and distinguish it from other viral STIs.