8 Shocking Facts About Herpes Nobody Told You

8 Shocking Facts About Herpes Nobody Told You

Do you have cold sores in your mouth? Then you might be infected by herpes, which is a sexually transmitted disease. To be precise, sores in the mouth happen due to virus HSV- 1 (Herpes Simplex Type 1). It is associated with virus HSV – 2 (Herpes Simplex Type 2) that can infect the genital area. Both types of viruses are contagious. They can easily spread to your genital area through contact.

Do you know there exists more than 100 kinds of herpes viruses?

However, till date, only two types – HSV 1 and HSV 2 – are detected through blood test. Medical experts are researching on the other types of herpes viruses. They are able to detect only two so far.

Many people don’t know much about herpes. Even if they have sores, they take it lightly. The sores are painless. They heal and go away. Little do the sufferer know that he/she is infected by a sexually transmitted disease.

Here are a few facts about herpes that would leave you shocked, but well-informed, so that you do not ignore this disease and undergo a test as soon as you find a sore. Herpes STD testing for women is important because an infected mother can transmit the disease to her baby during vaginal birth.

Shocking facts about herpes

• As such, herpes virus shows no symptoms. You may find red blisters on your skin. These are painful and can last for 3-14 days. You can suffer from flare-ups several times a year, after which they decrease with time.

• You can spread the oral virus, HSV 1, to your genital area and the genital virus, HSV  2, to your mouth through contact. HSV 1 outbreaks are less intense than HSV 2 outbreaks.

• Herpes is a highly contagious disease. The virus can spread through skin contact even if you have no blisters.

• At present, herpes is incurable. Doctors usually prescribe anti-viral drugs to control the symptoms and outbreaks. A biotechnology company is conducting clinical trials to produce herpes vaccine. This will not be a cure, but a preventative measure, if the trials are successful and the vaccine comes in the market.

• The best way to prevent herpes, according to doctors, is to use condoms even during oral sex and foreplay.

• A research at the University of Toronto suggests that people infected with HSV 2 are more likely (3 times more at risk) to contract HIV.

• A pregnant woman, who has a longstanding HSV 2 infection and does not show symptoms of an outbreak when she is about to deliver, can deliver vaginally. But if a pregnant woman is infected in her second and third trimesters, doctors advise to undergo a C-section to prevent the infection spreading to the newborn.

• If you touch your oral sore and then touch your genitals, you can spread the infection to your genitals. As per a study by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, if you touch your eyes with the infected hand, you can get herpetic keratitis, which is a viral infection of eyes. So, doctors advise against touching open sores. If you touch it accidentally, wash your hands at once before you touch any part of your body.

Please walk in a STD testing clinic and get yourselves tested for herpes without delay.