Herpes is a contagious infection that's caused by the herpes simplex virus. One type of the virus - herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) - can lead to cold sores around the mouth. An infection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) can lead to genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease that causes blisters and pain in the genital area. Both types of the virus can be transmitted through direct contact. A person can get the cold sores of HSV1 by kissing or sharing eating utensils with an infected person. A person can get genital herpes or HSV2 by having intimate contact with an infected person. A mother who has genital herpes can pass the infection on to her newborn if she delivers the baby vaginally.

Other cases of herpes

In many cases, herpes doesn't cause any symptoms, so it's possible for a person to carry it and unknowingly pass it on to someone else. In other cases, herpes infections can lead to infections in other parts of the body. Sometimes people who have oral or genital herpes only have one outbreak. But other people have many outbreaks, which are less painful and shorter than the initial episode. There's no cure for herpes. In fact, once a person has been infected with the herpes virus, it's in the body forever. There are medications that can alleviate some of the discomfort that outbreaks cause. And there are things you can do to help protect yourself - and your family -from getting infected by the virus.

Types of Herpes Infections

Cold sores around the mouth are usually caused by HSV1. This form of the virus is usually transmitted from person to person by saliva or direct contact, like kissing or sharing eating utensils. In this form of herpes, blisters form on the lips and on the inside of the mouth, and soon develop into painful ulcers. The gums become red and swollen, and the tongue may develop a white coating. Other symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, eating difficulties, a generally ill feeling, irritability, and swollen neck glands. These symptoms can last from 3 to 2 weeks. After the first herpes infection, the virus can lie dormant without causing any symptoms for some time. But the virus can reactivate at a later time, leading to a tingling and numbness around the mouth, then a blister that breaks and forms a crust. The virus tends to reactivate following some type of stress on the body, like a cold, an infection, hormone changes, menstrual periods, or even a tooth extraction.

Blister rash
Skin rash blisters are fluid-filled bumps that look like bubbles on the skin. Home blister treatment for this is often all that is needed for this type of blister. Other types of injuries to the skin may cause a blister, such as exposure to heat,...

Genital blisters
Genital blisters are caused by the herpes simplex virus II (HSV-II). It is estimated that 1 million new cases occur each year in the U.S alone. The infection is transmitted during sexual intercourse or by other intimate contact with the genitals,...

Vaginal blister
A cesarean section delivery is done to protect the newborn from getting a herpes simplex infection at birth. A mother can pass the herpes simplex virus to her newborn if she has a sore or blister present when the newborn passes through the vagina...