There are eight types of human herpes virus. Most are characterized by eruptions of small, usually painful, skin blisters:
A sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 2 (HSV-2), which enters your body through small breaks in your skin or mucous membranes. Once the virus enters your body, it travels to the nerve roots near the spinal cord, and settles there. Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older have genital herpes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the herpes simplex virus is present in as many as one in six teens and adults in the United States.
The typical signs of an infection are one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks after the virus is transmitted. The first time you experience an outbreak the blisters break, leaving sores that may take two to four weeks to heal. You will also experience flu-like symptoms that include fever and swollen glands. After the first outbreak, another can appear weeks or month later but are always almost less severe and last less time. Herpes outbreaks are closely related to the functioning of the immune system. Women who have suppressed immune systems, because of stress, infection, or medications, have more frequent and longer-lasting outbreaks.
Genital herpes infections are more common in women than in men. Most people infected with genital herpes, are not aware that they have it. Most women with the virus have few or no symptoms, so therefore are oblivious to it. Many women have "atypical" outbreaks where the only symptom may be mild itching or minimal discomfort. Herpes cannot be treated but the number of outbreaks does decrease after a period of years. Thanks to new treatments and medications outbreaks can be prevented all together as well as decreasing the chances of spreading the disease.
Cold sores are a form of the herpes simplex virus known as HSV I. Cold sores are generally small, painful, fluid-filled blisters on the mouth or nose. Infections caused by this virus are contagious and can be spread from person to person through close contact with a lesion or even normal skin shedding the virus. It is primarily passed on through kissing. The virus is most contagious when the blisters are active. The chances of catching herpes (cold sores) from surfaces and towels are close to impossible. When cold sore lesions appear in their most common location, around the mouth and lips, people often refer to them as "cold sores" and "fever blisters."
Some of the more significant symptoms that appear before an outbreak include tingling, itching, and burning in the mouth or nose area. This is known as the prodromal stage, meaning symptoms that indicate an outbreak is imminent. Following this stage within hours to a few days, the infected area becomes red and fluid-filled blisters start to develop. The blister may than cluster to form one large blister. Other symptoms include mouth soreness, sore throat, fever, or swelling of the lymph glands. Once the blisters are developed, they usually break open, leak the fluid, and crust over and disappear. This usually takes several days to a week. Once the blisters disappear the virus goes into a dormant stage in the nerve cells until it is time to replicate again for another outbreak.
Recurrences of cold sores are more likely if you are suffering from a fever, cold or flu, are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, are under stress, have changes in your immune system, or trauma to the skin. Many times there are no apparent causes for an occurrence. Cold sores are not treatable, but with medication or supplements, you can lower the chances of an outbreak.
Occasionally this virus may cause blisters on the fingers. If the virus gets into the eye, it can cause conjunctivitis (swelling of the inner surface of the eyelids, sometimes called "pink-eye") or even a corneal ulcer (open sore on the cornea). On rare occasions, it can spread to the brain and cause the brain disease encephalitis.
Shingles, otherwise known as herpes varicella zoster, is the same infection that causes chicken pox. The primary difference between the two is that rather than have an outbreak all over the body, shingles generally erupts on one side of the body. Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk of developing shingles. Shingles mainly occurs in people over age 50, although someone as young as 20 are susceptible to the infection. Stress, depression, chemotherapy, and diseases that affect the immune system, can cause the virus to become active. Shingles is not contagious, but if someone who has never had chickenpox is exposed to an outbreak, they are at risk of getting chickenpox.
Symptoms such as tingling, numbness, itching, or pain may appear before the rash. In the pre-eruption stage the pain can be severely painful depending on the location of the virus. The outbreak looks similar to chickenpox and is usually located on the face (around the nose and eyes), or on the torso area. Like herpes, the rash begins with small clusters of bumps that develop into blister, and once broken open, forms crusty scabs.
Shingles, in its severity, can cause blindness, facial paralysis, and deafness depending on the location of the outbreak. In an extremely weakened immune system, the shingles virus can spread to the internal organs and affect the lungs, central nervous system and the brain, possibly causing death. Like other members of the herpes family, such as oral and genital herpes, the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox never completely leaves the body. After an attack of chickenpox, which is usually during childhood, the varicella-zoster virus retreats to nerve cells in the body, where it may lie dormant for decades. Due to aging and disease the virus can reactivate and begin to reproduce, traveling to the skins surface, thus bringing about a shingles outbreak.
Chickenpox is a common illness among kids, particularly those under age 12. An itchy rash of spots that look like blisters can appear all over the body and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually go away without treatment, but because the infection is very contagious, an infected child should stay home and rest until the symptoms are gone.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Kids can be protected from VZV by getting the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, usually between the ages of 12 to 15 months. In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a booster shot at 4 to 6 years old for further protection. The CDC also recommends that people 13 years of age and older who have never had chickenpox or received chickenpox vaccine get two doses of the vaccine at least 28 days apart.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but VZV can lie dormant within the body and cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles (or herpes zoster). Getting the chickenpox vaccine significantly lowers your child's chances of getting chickenpox, but he or she may still develop shingles later.
Ocular Herpes Simplex, or Eye Herpes
This usually affects one eye in the cornea (the front part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil) region. A recurrent infection, caused by the type 1 herpes simplex virus, Eye Herpes can cause scarring and inflammation. It's often referred to as a cold sore on the eye and can reoccur. There are several forms of ocular herps. Symptoms include swelling, tearing, recurrent eye infections and redness. The condition should be treated by an eye doctor because certain types of eye herpes can lead to blindness. Treatment varies depending upon where within the eye the infection lies. Steroid drops often prove effective.
Herpes Simplex Encephalitis (HSE) is a serious condition affecting the brain. Caused by HSV outbreaks, HSE inflames the brain and can be fatal. Symptoms such as a stiff neck, altered reflexes, confusion and speech abnormalities might be indicative of this condition. About 30% of these infections occur in children and may be caused by maternal genital infection at birth.
