Herpes is a common virus that causes sores on the genitals and mouth. It can be annoying and painful, but it usually doesn't lead to serious health problems.
Herpes is a common infection.
Herpes is an extremely common infection that remains in the body for life. More than half of Americans have oral herpes and 1 in 6 Americans has genital herpes. Therefore, you probably know several people with herpes.
Herpes is caused by two different but similar viruses: herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). Both can cause sores to appear on and around the vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, penis, scrotum, buttocks, inner thighs, lips, mouth, throat, and rarely once, in the eyes.
Herpes is spread by skin-to-skin contact with infected areas, often during vaginal, oral, anal, and kissing sex. Herpes causes outbreaks of painful, itchy blisters or sores that come and go. Many people with herpes do not notice the sores or mistake them for something else, so they don't know they are infected. You can spread herpes even when you don't have sores or symptoms.
There is no cure for herpes, but there are medications that relieve symptoms and decrease the chances of spreading the virus to other people. The good news is that outbreaks tend to become less frequent as time goes on, and while it can sometimes be uncomfortable and painful, herpes is not dangerous. People with herpes have relationships, sex, and live totally healthy lives.
What is the difference between genital herpes and oral herpes?
Since there are two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) that can live in many regions of the body, many people are not entirely clear what to call these infections. It's actually very simple:
When HSV-1 or HSV-2 infects your genital area (vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, penis, scrotum, or nearby areas) it is called genital herpes.
When HSV-1 or HSV-2 infects the lips, mouth, and throat or nearby areas, it is called oral herpes. Oral herpes sores are sometimes called cold sores or fever blisters.
HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes and HSV-2, genital herpes: each strain has an area in which it prefers to live. However, both types of the virus can infect either of the two areas. For example, you can get HSV-1 on the genitals if someone with a cold sore performs oral sex on you. You can also get HSV-2 in the mouth if you perform oral sex on someone with HSV-2 in the genital area.
How is herpes spread?
Herpes is easily spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus. You are spread when your genitals or your mouth comes into contact with someone else's genitals or mouth, usually during oral, anal, or vaginal sex.
Herpes is spread even when the penis or tongue does not fully penetrate the vagina, anus, or mouth. It is not necessary to ejaculate to transmit herpes.
A quick skin-to-skin contact is enough. You can also get it from kissing someone who has oral herpes.
The skin of the genitals, mouth, and eyes can easily become infected. Other areas of the skin can become infected if the herpes virus finds a way to enter, for example through cuts, burns, rashes, or other sores.
You don't have to have sex to get herpes. Sometimes herpes can be transmitted non-sexually, such as when a parent with herpes kisses their child on the lips. Most people with oral herpes got it as children. The mother can transmit genital herpes to her baby during vaginal delivery, although it is not very common.
You can also spread herpes to other parts of the body by touching a sore and then touching your mouth, genitals, or eyes without washing your hands. You can also pass herpes to another person this way.
Herpes is most contagious when there are open, wet sores, as the discharge from the blisters easily spreads the virus. But herpes can also spread and pass to other people when there are no sores and the skin looks perfectly normal.
Most people get herpes from people who do not have sores. Herpes can live in the body for years without causing symptoms, so it is very difficult to know for sure when and how you got it. For that reason, so many people have it; it is a very silent infection.
Because the virus dies quickly outside the body, herpes is not spread by hugging, shaking hands, coughing, sneezing, or sitting on the toilet seat.
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