What is the best description of herpes simplex?
Herpes simplex virus infection causes recurring episodes of small, painful, fluid-filled blisters on the skin, mouth, lips (cold sores), eyes, or genitals. This very contagious viral infection. It requires a living cell in which to multiply.
What is a characteristic of herpes simplex virus?
Clinical herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections appear as clustered vesicles on an erythematous base. They often progress to pustular or ulcerated lesions with a scalloped border, and they eventually form a crust. HSV lesions tend to recur at or near the same location within the distribution of a sensory nerve.
Is herpes HSV-1 an STD?
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2).
What does HSV-1 look like?
In oral herpes, most blisters appear on the lips or mouth. They can also form elsewhere on the face, especially around the chin and below the nose, or on the tongue. At first, the sores look similar to small bumps or pimples before developing into pus-filled blisters. These may be red, yellow or white.
What is the main cause of herpes?
Herpes infections are caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2. These viruses are contagious and transmitted from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact. Kissing or touching is the main cause of HSV-1 transmission, and sexual contact is the main cause of HSV-2 transmission.
How long is hsv1 contagious?
Cold sores, caused by a type of virus called herpes simplex type 1, are contagious until they completely go away, which usually takes about two weeks. Cold sores are the most contagious when fluid seeps out of the sores.
How do you know you have herpes simplex 1?
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing Herpes Symptoms Learn about the herpes viruses. There are two types of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), HSV-1 and HSV-2. Watch for symptoms approximately 2 weeks after contracting herpes. While it may take a while for the first outbreak to appear, it’s usually worse than outbreaks that come later. Watch for redness and itching.
How many people have herpes simplex virus 1?
You shouldn’t be, since the virus is very common. According to the World Health Organization, 3.7 billion people under age 50 have herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) — that’s 67 percent of the global population in that age bracket.
What are the dangers of herpes?
Left untreated, herpes increases a person’s risk of getting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Although rare, herpes can lead to a serious illness such as encephalitis or meningitis if left untreated.
What happens if genital herpes is untreated?
In most cases, untreated herpes may result in reappearance of the sore every few weeks. Further, the sores become more severe with stress and may occasionally itch and burn. The scabs over the sore may be offensive, but the site usually heals without leaving scars.