Herpes Simplex

Question: Can the herpes simplex virus be spread when there is not an outbreak? My boyfriend gets cold sores but only occasionally. Can he pass them to me even if he does not have one at the time? In other words, is the herpes simplex virus contagious if there is not outbreak of cold sores? Thanks!

Answer: My boyfriend would always get cold sores on his lips and i never knew they were herpes i was only 16 and very naive. The first and only time that he performed oral sex, I got genital herpes and he didn't even have an outbreak!! I then later found out that herpes can be spread with or without any signs or symptoms. Since then I have also developed herpes simplex keratitis (herpes inside my eye) and will one day need a cornea transplant. Its a very scary virus that will stay with you for your entire life, there is no cure and even with the medication I still get horrible painful outbreaks. Good luck and i really hope your boyfriend is taking precautions.

Question: What is the classification of herpes simplex? Okay, so can someone give me a website with the information with the classification of herpes simplex on it? I've been trying to look for one, but have had no luck. I need the type of bacterium (gram positive/negative, shape, etc.) type of virus (DNA, RNA, etc.) or other parasites. do you know of a website that has any of this? that would be a lot of help. thank you!

Answer: wikipedia

Question: Can herpes simplex 1 be spread to the genitals? My boyfriend has herpes simplex 1 (cold sores). If he gives me oral even without any breakouts on his mouth, can this be passed to my genitals?

Answer: Yes it can. This is caused by some thing called viral shedding which can happen around the time of an out break and spontaneously in between out breaks. This only happens for a small percentage of days out of a year. Shedding is undetectable to you and your boy friend. Oral herpes is more likely to be spread and very contagious while there are signs of an out break. I contracted oral herpes on my genitals when my boy friend gave me oral sex with a healing cold sore. Make sure there is no sign of a cold sore if you have oral sex with him

Question: Can herpes simplex be contagious on medication? My boyfriend has herpes simplex in the mouth. can it be contagious with no outbreak and when hes on medication?

Answer: Herpes can always be contangious whether on suppressives or not. It's spread through asymptomatic shedding. The medication lowers the risk.

Question: Can i practice medicine if im positive for Herpes Simplex? Ive had it all my life, will it be a hindrance when i practice medicine? Will they even make me proceed if i tell them i have herpes simplex? Will i be a health scare?

Answer: That shouldn't be a problem as long as you keep it under control. Most people have Herpes Simplex type 1. A cold sore is herpes simplex. www.nwpa-s.com Northwest Physician Assistant Student Resource

Question: So can i get tested for herpes simplex even if you have'nt had an outbreak in a long time? So can i get tested for herpes simplex even if you have'nt had an outbreak in a long time?

Answer: Sure. A person can be tested for herpes by a blood test if they aren't currently having an outbreak. Herpes is for life though. So, if you have been previously diagnosed with it, even if you haven't had an outbreak for a while, you still have the virus. There is no cure for herpes. Take care!

Question: Are ALL fever blisters caused by herpes simplex I ? I get a very small, warm fever blister on my top lip right at the edge of where my skin starts. They occur a couple of times a year and always in the same spot. It is always a quite small (barely noticeable) red bump. It never scabs over like other people's herpes i've seen... Is it herpes simplex I or something else?

Answer: It could be herpes simplex 1 (95% are caused by hsv-1) or herpes simplex 2 (causes 3-5% of cold sores). But a cold sore is DEFINITELY caused by one of the two herpes viruses - it is an outbreak of herpes. There is no other form of cold sore. As to the symptoms, well they vary in severity from person to person. Yes, many people get big ones that scab, but my boyfriend gets ones just like you, it never blisters just causes a small red bump, which can tingles beforehand and sometimes be a bit tender or itch. But it never scabs and is barely noticeable. Just be glad you have it mildly. And to the other answerer who thought you can get them spontaneously from sunburn or the flu... you can't!! The reason you get them when you have the flu is because your immune system normally keeps the herpes virus under control, but when you have flu your immune system is low so the virus can surface. Think about the names we give oral herpes - cold sores, fever blisters... could it be we call them those things becasue you tend to get outbreask when you have a codl or fever?? And sunburn irritates the skin which can trigger an outbreak of the virus already present in your system.

Question: Can you be born with herpes simplex? And what exactly is herpes simplex?

Answer: Yes a baby can be born with herpes. If the mother is currently having an outbreak of genital herpes during delivery it's possible for the baby to contract the virus. As the baby is coming through the birth canal it can rub against the sores which can cause it to contract the virus. This can be avoided with a C-section though. And, being born with herpes is REALLY rare. Herpes simplex is a group of viruses (8 different kinds to be exact). The most common kinds of herpes simplex are cold sores (usually herpes simplex virus 1) and genital herpes (usually herpes simplex virus 2). Herpes simplex can also cause chickenpox, shingles, and mono. Check out the links below for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpesviridae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex

Question: What is another name for herpes simplex? My boyfriend said he something similar to herpes simplex and its a bigger name and I would like to know what it is

Answer: Got a couple of littler ideas. Could be cold sore or maybe shingles (Not the kind on "da" roof).

Question: Can you get a fever blister without having Herpes Simplex I? I've been sick this whole weekend and week and developed a blister in the middle of my bottom lip. My boyfriend said I had a fever. I had a cold, sore throat, and aches on my neck and shoulders. So my question is can you get a fever blister without having Herpes Simplex I? When I search fever blister it was linked with Herpes. I do STD testing every 6 months when I go to the GYN I went about a month ago.

Answer: You don't have "herpes" in the STD sort of sense... There are many types of herpes--Simplex 1, Simplex 2, chicken pox, and shingles. It is a virus that always stays with you...it is not a bacteria. Oral Herpes--which most humans have--is simplex 1. The cold sore or fever blister comes out during stress or colds--i.e. fever blister or cold sore. The virus becomes active during stress or colds because your resistance is down at that time. Genital Herpes--Simplex 2--causes sores on the genitals. Chicken Pox-Most people get this at some point in their life. Shingles--causes pain in an area around nerves--older people tend to get this. I don't know of any other way to get a fever blister other than having simplex 1 or 2. However, the virus that causes oral herpes is very common, almost everyone has it and in many people it does not show up very often. In some people it shows up as a canker sore on the inside of the mouth...so people don't ever see it just feel that they ate too many crunchy chips or something. Just don't pick at it or touch your genitals after touching your mouth--oral herpes in rare instances can be transferred to the genital area.

Question: herpes simplex? I have been getting what i call fever blisters on my lips and around my mouth area since i was born.... i have been told that i have herpes simplex. but i just wondering is there any way to cure it or a way to have less out brakes? and can it worsen on its own and turn into the std herpes because i was told that they arent the same thing.. and even if i dont have a out brake but preform oral sex is it contagous or only when i have and out brake... remember its only herpes simplex..... and i dont have it down there!

Answer: there is an over the counter medication for herpes simplex. it is called abreva, it reduces signs , simptoms, and shortens healing time. if you do not have genital herpes then you do not need zovirax, you would just be introducing your immune system to something that it doesn't need. but just remember, no oral while in an outbreak, be careful and have fun.

Question: I have a red sore at the cornor of my lip. what could it be other than herpes simplex? If it is herpes simplex is there a treatment, does it ever go away?

Answer: could be a simple cold sore. If it doesn't go away within two weeks, or you are really worried about it, consult your physician.

Question: What is the line for herpes simplex virus? I am looking for a health professional's opinion.? It is very hard to word this correctly but I will try. I am aware that cold sores/fever blisters of the mouth are caused by the herpes simplex virus. If a person has had a cold sore, but never any symptoms anywhere else, then are they considered by the medical field to have an STD? Even if there are no sores anywhere near the genital area and the virus was not transmitted sexually? STD's come with a horrible stigma and it doesn't seem fair that someone with a cold sore should have to carry this stigma with them, but I know that healthcare and public opinion are rarely "fair." It's my foster mother so it's important for me to know. It's hard being the child of someone with an STD. It's enough to make someone feel dirty and diseased.

Answer: Cold sores are not considered a STD because they affect the mouth not the genital area. They are also usually spread by kissing someone who has them, not by sex, like genital herpes is. If a person ONLY has cold sores they DO NOT have a STD. You shouldn't feel "dirty" or "diseased" at all. Most people don't know this, but chickenpox, shingles, and even some cases of Mono are all caused by the herpes simplex virus. Does this mean every kid out there who has ever had the chickenpox has a STD? No! ONLY genital herpes is considered a STD when it comes to the herpes simplex virus. Genital herpes is almost always spread by sex or some kind of sexual contact, hence the acronym STD. I hope that answered your question!

Question: Can herpes simplex 1 be spread via genital contact to someone else who already gets cold sores? I get cold sores. (only 2 so far in my life) this means that I have herpes simplex 1 (of the mouth). My girlfriend recently discovered that she has herpes simplex 1 (on her genitals, but not her mouth). I may or may not have given it to her via oral sex (We have both had different sexual partners both before and after different periods of dating). Can she spread simplex 1 to MY genitals via genital contact? Now before you give me an answer, I suggest that you re-read the details of this question. She has had a medical professional tell her that it CANNOT be spread to me via genital contact. Before we have genital contact again, we would like to research this to be sure I am not putting myself at risk by having genital contact with her. This is her second outbreak and I obviously wouldn't have genital contact with her during an outbreak. If it cannot be spread, are the outbreaks relevant to genital contact? Keep in mind that there are 2 types of "Herpes"; Herpes simplex 1, the type more commonly found in cold sores, and herpes simplex 2, the type most people think of when the hear the word "herpes"...(the bad one, where you get more frequent, severe outbreaks, most commonly on the genitals) Also, we are free of any other s.t.d.'s and always have used condoms with ALL of our "other" sexual partners. (This is irrelvant to herpes because condoms generally will not prevent the spread of either type.)

Answer: Herpes simplex virus 1 is typically cold sores while herpes simplex virus 2 is typically genital herpes. I say typically because both can cause either cold sores or genital herpes, but HSV1 is more common as cold sores while HSV2 is more commonly genital herpes. It is very possible for you to have given her genital herpes. In fact, I've read that 30% of people with genital herpes got it from cold sores (HSV1). And, it's also possible for her to give you genital herpes as well. Since herpes simplex virus 1 can cause genital herpes, if you were to have sex with her, you can possibly get genital herpes from her. Genital herpes can be spread at any time, outbreak or no outbreak. My fiance and I both have genital herpes. I got it over 5 years ago from a guy I slept with ONE time. He was not having an outbreak or showing any signs of the virus. My fiance got it from me about 8 months ago. I hadn't had an outbreak in over a year and a half and he still got the virus from me! So, it can definitely be spread even if the person is not showing signs of the virus or having an outbreak. Check out this site for more information: http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/…

Question: Can Herpes Simplex 1 be spread to my genitals? I think I may have oral herpes... Can it be spread to my genitals? I've read posts that say the body builds antibodies and will not allow it to spread to the genitals if it is already on the mouth. Is this true?

Answer: It is unlikely, but rarely it can happen. You can potentially spread the virus by touching a genital herpes sore and then another part of your body, which is called autoinoculation. This is particularly true during a primary initial outbreak (the first outbreak of genital herpes in people who have never been exposed to the herpes virus before). In general, autoinoculation is very uncommon after the primary initial outbreak, because your immune system has been established against herpes simplex. For some reason, while most people do seem to build up an immunity to catching it again, some people don't to the same extent. The vast majority of us will not spread an hsv-1 infection to a second site after we have had the virus for a few months and after our primary outbreak, but a rare few people still do. Therefore it is a good idea to still be careful about what you touch after you have touched your cold sore :-) Of all the people with genital and oral herpes of the same type that I have seen on the net, none of them caught the second infection more than 3 or 4 months after they had acquired their oral herpes infection or vice versa. The vast majority of people who have the same virus in both places caught both infections at the same time or while they were experiencing their primary outbreak. It is rare enough for the UK Herpes Viruses Association to give the following advice: ..."If you and your partner have the same virus you will not reinfect each other - even on a different part of the body. So, if you have caught it on your genital from your partner’s facial cold sores, he or she will not catch the virus back on the genitals."

Question: Does simplex herpes show up on blood tests? And what is simplex herpes?

Answer: Yes, if that is what your doctor is testing for. There is a specific blood test that can test for both Herpes Simplex I, and Herpes Simplex 2. (Typically referred to in medical communities as HSV-1 and HSV-2). In response to the virus the body produces antibodies, the blood test checks for the presence of these antibodies. If the antibodies are present for HSV-1, then you've been exposed to and most likely carry that virus, the same for HSV-2. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause genital sores, however HSV-2 is the virus genreally associated with HSV-2. HSV-1 causes cold sores around the mouth, but as a I stated, can cause sores on the genitalia. A doctor may recommend a culture of a sore when an outbreak occurs to double check the diagnoses, and help with treatment. So yes, there is a bloodtest, and it can differentiate between the two strains.