What Causes Herpes And Can You Prevent It?

There are two different types of genital herpes – HSV 1 and 2. They both can be transmitted very easily. HSV 1 by saliva and HSV 2 mostly by sexual contact. It is highly contagious in the genital or mouth area.

Herpes, also known as HSV 1 and 2, are highly contagious and either type can affect the mouth or genitals.

Herpes simplex (HSV-1) is also commonly referred to as cold sores, fever blisters, oral herpes or herpes labialis.

It is a viral infection of the skin that may occur once or return again and again. This happens when the virus is cleared from the skin by the immune system and it hides in the nerves and is never completely removed from the body. Herpes infections are very common.

The causes of herpes simplex are:

•    Contracted from skin to skin contact with an infected area.
•    By sexual contact such as kissing a person with a cold sore or sharing a drinking glass or utensils
•    Sharing towels or linen with someone who has an outbreak of herpes on the genitalia or cold sores. Herpes can spread from person to person even when an infected individual has no outbreak or symptoms.

Genital herpes is caused by the infection of Type 2 herpes. It is transmitted through sexual intercourse, oral genital sexual activity, kissing and hand to body contact.

To infect people, the herpes simplex viruses (both HSV-1 and HSV-2) must access the body through broken skin or a mucous membrane such as inside the mouth or on the genital area. Each virus can be carried in bodily fluids (such saliva, semen, fluid in the female genital tract) or in fluid from herpes sores. The risk for infection is highest with direct contact of blisters or sores during an outbreak.

Once the virus has contact with the mucosal surfaces or skin wounds, it begins to replicate. The virus is then transported within nerve cells to their roots where it remains inactive (latent) for some period of time. During latent periods, the virus is not transmissible. However, at some point, it often begins to replicate again without causing symptoms (called shedding). During shedding, the virus is again transmissible through bodily fluids and can infect other people. Shedding is an especially insidious stage because there are no sores or symptoms and it possibly accounts for about a third of all HSV-2 infections.

Individuals with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with uninfected partners when lesions or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms he or she can still infect sex partners. Sex partners of infected persons should be advised that they may become infected and they should use condoms to reduce the risk.

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What Causes Herpes And Can You Prevent It?

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