How can you get herpes?

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Background and Variants

Herpes is a viral infection that spreads from one person to another through skin to skin contact. We are all probably most familiar with the herpes virus in the form of cold sores, which appear as painful blisters, most commonly on the lips. We are likely to have the good sense to avoid contact with a cold sore for fear of spreading the infection.. However, the symptoms can be so subtle that a person can be unaware that they have the virus. Symptoms usually include clusters of small liquid filled blisters on the body, but most commonly Herpes Simplex virus 1 and 2 are responsible for cold sores on the mouth, lips and soft tissues of the nose and genital herpes. The Varicella-Zoster virus strain includes chickenpox and shingles and the Epstein-Barr virus strain includes glandular fever. The word 'herpes' derives from the Greek word for 'to creep'. Herpes 1 is the virus responsible for cold sores, while herpes 2 is responsible for genital herpes. There is a stigma attached to the latter form of the virus as being socially unacceptable, while having a cold sore on the lip is likely to receive sympathy. For this reason, many people who have genital herpes will keep the information to themselves, avoiding informing their sexual partners and thus helping to spread the virus. The type 1 virus can be oral or genital but type 1 and type 2 or similar viruses. Herpes 1 is responsible for Herpes Whitlow which is an infection on the finger as well as Wrestler's Herpes, an infection which appears on the face and chest.

Transmission

Herpes can be transmitted from person to person unwittingly. As symptoms may be unnoticed, the source of the spread of herpes may be untraceable, but the infection is spread during the virus's active phase. Genital herpes is spread via sexual contact with an infection, such as an infected sore or blister. However, it can be transmitted when the virus is also dormant, with no symptoms showing at all. Genital herpes can be transmitted from a person's mouth via oral sex, if they have a cold sore. Even where they are prone to cold sores but do not currently suffer from one they can transmit the virus. Herpes can be spread to other parts of the body. The average incubation period, from when a person contracts the virus and before any symptoms begin to show, is between 2-12 days. The majority of people contract herpes in the form of cold sores before the age of 7 and are most often unable to remember their first herpes outbreak. Once the cold sore virus has entered a person's system, it remains dormant for life, becoming active in the form of painful blisters.

It is possible to prevent the transmission of genital herpes, by using condoms during sexual intercourse. If the virus is in its active stage and manifesting symptoms, it is essential to protect yourself against transmission or even abstain from sexual intercourse until all symptoms have disappeared. If you are in a sexual relationship with a person who has genital herpes you will always be at risk of contracting the virus, although there are some steps which you can take to reduce the likelihood. Avoid intercourse during the high risk times, which is just before, after and during the outbreak. Tell tale symptoms to look out for include itching, burning or a tingling sensation in the genital area. Limit the number of sexual partners as this will help to reduce the spread of the infection to other people. Use a condom, although this is not a guarantee of total protection against herpes, as the condom may not cover the infected area completely.

Prevention

Take a course of immune boosting herbal remedies, which are believed to reduce the frequency of outbreaks of herpes. It is also recommended that non-infected people should also boost their immune system in an effort to reduce the likelihood of the spread of the virus. Lysine is an amino acid found readily in healthy diets and believed to reduce herpes outbreaks. It can be found in dairy products such as yoghurt, milk and cheese, eggs, brewer's yeast, mangoes, tomatoes, avocados, apricots, apples and pears. Vitamin C helps to heal skin and tissue and so an increase in Vitamin C levels before, during and after an outbreak can help the body to deal with herpes and reduce outbreaks. Zinc is a mineral that aids the repair and development of tissue. It is found in dairy products, pumpkin seeds, wholegrain cereals, beans and pulses, yeast extracts and legumes. The stress caused to the body by the outbreak of the herpes virus can be alleviated with B vitamins.

How can you get herpes?

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Background and Variants

Transmission

Prevention

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