How Is It Diagnosed
You should see a doctor or other healthcare provider if you suspect youve contracted herpes.
A healthcare provider can usually diagnose herpes with a physical exam and one or more of the following tests:
- a viral culture, which involves scraping off a sample of the sore for examination in a lab
- a polymerase chain reaction test, which compares a sample of your blood and from a sore to determine which type of HSV you have
- a blood test to check for HSV antibodies from a past herpes infection
How To Prevent Transmission Of The Herpes Simplex Virus
As mentioned above, the genital blisters and cold sores that appear during herpes outbreaks are highly contagious. To protect yourself from herpes infections, you should avoid oral contact with a person who has active symptoms around the mouth. You should avoid sexual activity with sexual partners with genital herpes.
Using a condom can help reduce the transmission of herpes and other sexually transmitted infections. However, this is not a foolproof method because the condom may not cover all areas of the skin, so you may still pass genital herpes to others. Remember, the virus can spread even if there are no noticeable symptoms.
If you have HSV-1 or HSV-2 and are worried about herpes transmission or frequent outbreaks, talk to your healthcare provider about suppressive therapy with antiviral drugs. Antiviral therapy can help to reduce the severity of subsequent outbreaks. Topical antiviral medications may be used to manage symptoms, i.e., relieve pain and itching during an outbreak. Also, oral and genital herpes treatment with antiviral medications can reduce the risk of transmission of the virus to others.
Im Pregnant How Could Genital Herpes Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, prenatal care visits are very important. Some research suggest that a genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage or make it more likely to deliver your baby too early. You can pass herpes to your unborn child before birth, but it more commonly passes during delivery. This can lead to a deadly infection in your baby . It is important that you avoid getting genital herpes during pregnancy. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had a genital herpes diagnosis or symptoms. Also tell them about any possible exposure to genital herpes.
If you have genital herpes, you may need to take anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes when you deliver. At the time of delivery, your healthcare provider should carefully examine you for herpes sores. If you have signs or symptoms of genital herpes at delivery, a C-section is likely to occur.
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What Are The Chances Of Getting Herpes From Kissing
Contact with active lesions and saliva can transmit HSV-1, which causes oral herpes. But you dont need to have a visible cold sore to transmit the infection to others. Studies have shown that almost 1 in 10 adults have HSV-1 in their oral secretions even though they dont have active herpes outbreaks or visible cold sores. With that said, the chances of transmitting the virus are far greater when there is an active herpes outbreak because the viral load is 1,000 times higher in active HSV-1 lesions.
So, given that so many people have HSV-1 in their saliva is it safe to ever kiss again? The chance of transmitting the virus is low when there are no symptoms, so it is probably safe to kiss someone who doesnt have a cold sore. However, if someone has an active HSV-1 lesion , its best to avoid kissing them.
Is Herpes Simplex Related To Herpes Zoster
Herpes simplex and the varicella-zoster virus are related, but they arent the same. VZV causes chickenpox and shingles.
Like HSV-1 and HSV-2, shingles can cause a painful, blistering rash. The shingles rash usually shows up on the back, side, abdomen , neck and face. It is often only on half of your body, following the pattern of your nerves. See your healthcare provider if you have a new rash and suspect you may have shingles.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Herpes simplex is a virus. Once you have herpes, its a lifelong condition. A herpes infection can lead to outbreaks , but youll also have times when you have no symptoms. The main sign of herpes is sores that appear on the infected skin. Some people choose not to treat herpes, especially if symptoms are mild. Others take antiviral medications to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/17/2022.
References
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Can I Give Herpes To My Children
No this will not happen. Parents do not need to worry about passing on their genital herpes to children because it is caught through direct skin contact with the affected place when symptoms are present and not from hands or objects. Even sharing a bath with small children is not a problem because herpes simplex virus is not transmitted in water.
Parents do not pass on genital herpes to their children through the normal activities of family life. Do not allow a fear of transmission to get in the way of ordinary family touching, hugging, sharing, etc.
Beds: herpes simplex virus is never transmitted on sheets.
Is herpes on my laundry? No it dies too fast. You can wash clothes together in the same machine, even when a person has a recurrence.
Bathing or showering together will not transmit herpes simplex virus the same is true for Jacuzzis and swimming pools. A child brushing against your upper thighs or abdomen while you have a recurrence wont catch the virus.
Even if you have used the toilet or you have touched the genital area and forgotten to wash your hands, this is not a problem. This virus is fragile and dies when it leaves living cells.
Washing with ordinary soap and water is clean enough theres no need to use any special hand or toilet seat sanitisers.
Children do all sorts of odd things that you cant anticipate, but even if they put your worn knickers on their head they are not going to contract the herpes virus relax and laugh with them.
How Can I Best Learn To Cope With Herpes Simplex
Some people feel distressed or embarrassed about their herpes simplex infection. Its important to understand that the herpes virus is common. For most people, herpes doesnt significantly interfere with daily life.
To cope with negative feelings, you may consider:
- Connecting with others through support groups or online forums.
- Sharing your feelings with a trusted friend or loved one.
- Speaking with a therapist.
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Can You Get Herpes From The Toilet Seat
Last, but definitely not least, on the scale of weird things that you heard about herpes as a kid: Can you get herpes from a particularly grody bathroom experience?
Dramatic Pause.
Probably not.
Herpes is most commonly transmitted through contact with open sores or infected bodily fluids. If the virus was left on a toilet seat, and it was kept at a very specific temperature, then immediate contact could result in developing herpes.
However, It is highly unlikely to contract herpes from a dry inanimate object.
The Center for Disease Control states, You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools, or from touching objects around you such as silverware, soap, or towels.
So, safe to say, dont think twice about getting comfortable in the wiz palace because UTIs are totally a thing, and you should never hold back the need to pee.
Though we have established that it is very unlikely, HSV-2 would be the strand of herpes most likely to be contracted during your potty time. Due to the location of exposure, this would be considered genital herpes.
Common Genital Herpes Symptoms
- Itching or burning in the genital area
These symptoms seem to be pretty apparent or noticeable, but two out of every three people with genital herpes are unaware that they possess the virus at all. Many people with genital herpes experience no symptoms. When symp-toms are not apparent, is when viruses are most likely to be spread.
How Common are Genital Herpes Anyways?
What Are The Types Of Herpes Viruses
Herpes is a group of contagious viruses that cause blisters and sores. Some of the more common herpes viruses include:
- Type 1: HSV-1, or oral herpes, causes cold sores to form on your lips, gums, tongue and inside of your mouth. It can cause genital herpes in some cases. This type usually spreads through saliva when you kiss someone with open herpes sores. You can also get HSV-1 by sharing items like toothbrushes, lipsticks or eating utensils.
- Type 2: HSV-2 causes genital herpes.
- Herpes zoster: This virus causes chickenpox and shingles.
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Can You Get Genital Herpes Without Having Sex
Dr. Aysha Butt is the Medical Director of FROM MARS, and is a GP Partner at Woodcote NHS Medical Practice.
Herpes is one of the most common and widespread viral infections in the world, partly because its so easy to transmit. But if you practice safe sex you cant catch herpes, right?
Unfortunately, no. Safe sex isnt enough. And the real kicker is that there are other ways you can catch herpes that dont even involve sex. Heres what you need to know.
Use This Treatment To Speed Up Recovery And Prevent Future Outbreaks
Cold sores dont have to control your life or your love life! Use the Luminance RED to speed up healing time and prevent your next outbreak altogether.
The light from the Luminance RED is metabolized by your skin and turned into cellular energy, which your skin uses to heal faster and force the herpes virus into hibernation. Clinical data conclusively shows that this type of treatment reduces healing time by up to 50% so that you can get back to doing what really matters!
The Luminance RED can be used before, during, and after outbreaks to fight symptoms of HSV-1 and HSV-2. Thanks to the precise design of the Luminance RED, every treatment provides a medically optimized wavelength and irradiance of light necessary to maximize treatment efficiency and prevent cold sore outbreaks. Try this advanced light therapy to get back to kissing faster than ever before.
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How Do You Get Herpes
The skin on your genitals, mouth, and eyes can be infected easily. Other areas of skin may get infected if theres a way for the herpes virus to get in, like through a cut, burn, rash, or other sores. You dont have to have sex to get herpes. Sometimes herpes can be passed in non-sexual ways, like if a parent with a cold sore gives you a peck on the lips. Most people with oral herpes got it when they were kids. A mother can pass genital herpes to a baby during vaginal childbirth, but thats pretty rare.
You can spread herpes to other parts of your body if you touch a herpes sore and then touch your mouth, genitals, or eyes without washing your hands first. You can also pass herpes to someone else this way.
Herpes is most contagious when sores are open and wet, because fluid from herpes blisters easily spreads the virus. But herpes can also shed and get passed to others when there are no sores and your skin looks totally normal.
Most people get herpes from someone who doesnt have any sores. It may live in your body for years without causing any symptoms, so its really hard to know for sure when and how you got it. Thats why so many people have herpes its a pretty sneaky infection.
Because the virus dies quickly outside the body, you cant get herpes from hugging, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or sitting on toilet seats.
Can Herpes Be Transmitted Through Saliva
Yes, oral herpes, caused by HSV-1, mainly spreads through contact with visible sores, saliva, and infected skin surfaces around the lips and mouth.
HSV-1 can also be transmitted through saliva to the genital area of a person if they receive oral sex from a person with oral herpes, but this is less common.
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How Is Herpes Simplex Treated
Some people have few to no herpes outbreaks and choose not to have treatment. But many people prefer to use medications that shorten outbreaks and reduce symptoms.
During an outbreak, you may use an antiviral ointment or cream to help lessen your symptoms and help them go away faster, but it only works if you start it soon after you start an outbreak. Many people with HSV-2 take daily oral medications to keep outbreaks at bay.
Your provider may prescribe a topical medication or oral medication such as:
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How Does Kissing Transmit Hsv
Oral herpes is mainly transmitted by skin-to-skin contact with someone who carries the virus. You can get it from contact with cold sores, saliva, or the surfaces in and around the mouth.
Fun fact: Around 90 percent of American adults are exposed to HSV-1 by the age of 50. Most contract it during childhood, usually from a kiss from a relative or friend.
A Pharmacist Can Help With Cold Sores
A pharmacist can recommend:
- creams to ease pain and irritation
- antiviral creams to speed up healing time
- cold sore patches to protect the skin while it heals
You can buy electronic devices from pharmacies that treat cold sores with light or lasers.
Some people find these helpful, but there have not been many studies to confirm if they work.
If you regularly get cold sores, use antiviral creams as soon as you recognise the early tingling feeling. They do not always work after blisters appear.
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How Do People Get Herpes
Herpes is transmitted through human-to-human contact, usually through kissing or sex. As long as there is skin contact, a person with herpes can infect another person, even when they are not exhibiting any symptoms.
Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 are notorious for lying dormant in nerve cells, where they can remain inactive for some time.
When the virus becomes active, it replicates and becomes transmittable through saliva and other body secretions. This process is called viral shedding. During this period, you may or may not experience symptoms.
Once a person becomes infected with the herpes simplex virus, the virus never leaves the body. As a result, the HSV infection may recur from time to time.
Whats The Difference Between Genital Herpes And Oral Herpes
Because there are 2 different kinds of herpes simplex viruses that can live on many body parts, lots of people are confused about what to call these infections. But its actually pretty simple:
-
When you get either HSV-1 or HSV-2 on or around your genitals , its called genital herpes.
-
When you get either HSV-1 or HSV-2 in or around your lips, mouth, and throat, its called oral herpes. Oral herpes sores are sometimes called cold sores or fever blisters.
HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes, and HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes each strain prefers to live on its favorite area. But its totally possible for both types of herpes simplex to infect either area. For example, you can get HSV-1 on your genitals if someone with a cold sore on their lips gives you oral sex. And you can get HSV-2 in your mouth if you give oral sex to someone with HSV-2 on their genitals.
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Herpes Through Indirect Contact
Less commonly, it is possible to contract herpes without skin contact.
This could involve sharing personal products that touch the sores or saliva of an infected person, like razors, washcloths, or other facial care products.
It could also involve sharing cups or utensils.
However, these are not primary ways that herpes spreads.
Anyone with an active cold sore or herpes blister should avoid allowing anyone else to come into contact with the sores, and should not kiss or share utensils or other objects that have saliva on them until the outbreak is over.
How Long Do Sores From Herpes Simplex Last
If youre infected with HSV-1, commonly known as oral herpes, you may notice tingling or burning around your mouth in the days before a cold sore appears. These blisters break open and ooze fluid before forming a crust. Usually, sores last for seven to 10 days.
If youre infected with HSV-2, commonly known as genital herpes, your first outbreak may last between two to four weeks. Recurrent outbreaks usually last between three to seven days.
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Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Herpes Simplex Type 1 is one of the most common viruses in the world, with upwards of 67 percent of the world population under the age of 50 carrying it, according to the.
This common virus causes cold sores around the lips and on the gums, with most people experiencing an outbreak once a year, give or take.
Many people who show no oral herpes symptoms are asymptomatic, meaning theyre infected with the HSV-1 virus but dont have oral herpes sores or other visible herpes symptoms.
Because of this, a very large percentage of people with HSV-1 arent even aware that theyre infected.
However, typical visible herpes symptoms include visible cold sores and lesions on or around the mouth, fever, tingling on the mouth or lips, headache, etc. .
Of course, unless you suspect you may be suffering from an initial outbreak, it’s best to just keep your eyes peeled for visible lesions.