Common Types of Herpes Page
Most people are aware of the Herpes Simplex Virus and know that it can be spread from one person to another through physical contact, but many are unaware that the herpes virus can present in over eighty different conditions. These include herpes zoster, or shingles, which causes painful blisters on the skin and affects the nerve endings, ocular herpes simplex, which can cause inflammation and scarring of the cornea of the eye, and herpes simplex encephalitis, a dangerous infection causing cerebral swelling. The two most common types of herpes, however, are oral and genital herpes. By rubbing a swab over the infected lesions, a doctor can diagnose the herpes virus causing an infection, but a blood test is sometimes used to rule out an infection with more than one herpes virus.
Though they may be unaware of it, eighty percent of people in the United States have already been infected with the HSV-1 virus, the herpes virus which causes cold sores. An infection with the HSV-1 virus causes blisters around the lips, but it can also present as a milder form of genital blistering. The form of oral herpes caused by the HSV-1 virus is usually spread through kissing or oral sex. This happens when the partner performing oral sex has an active infection caused by the Herpes Simplex I virus. Although the HSV-1 virus is considered by many to be only mildly annoying on the mouth or genitalia, it can actually lead to vision loss or blindness when it enters the eyes. If the virus then continues to the brain, the resulting encephalitis can lead to death.
The HSV-2 virus affects approximately twenty-five percent of adult males and females and is spread predominantly through sexual contact. Although this herpes virus usually causes painful blistering in the genital area when it is active, as many as two-thirds of those who currently have the virus are unaware of it. This lack of knowledge sometimes leads to a baby contracting the herpes virus on its way through the birth canal, resulting in neonatal herpes. This condition is extremely dangerous for babies, and some do not survive their bout with it.
While the herpes caused by the Herpes Simplex II virus can be uncomfortable and humiliating for adults who are experiencing an outbreak, it infrequently moves to other parts of the body and rarely results in dangerous complications. Both the HSV-1 herpes virus and the HSV-2 virus lie dormant in the body much of the time, but they can be spread even when blisters are not evident. Because of this, infected individuals should always protect themselves and their partners during sexual intimacy.
Researchers have discovered people who have just contracted the herpes virus have more active infections than those who have had the virus for a longer period of time. Doctors know that most infections caused by the HSV-1 and HSV-2 are not life threatening unless the patient has a weakened immune system, but they are also aware of the stigma attached to a herpes infection. Even patients who have few herpes outbreaks may suffer psychological distress because of this virus, and counseling is often in order.
