Everyone Has Herpes

Everyone Has Herpes
Everyone Has a Herpes Virus Scientific Scribbles

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Did you know that you most likely have live viruses hiding in your nerves and central nervous system? If you have ever had a cold sore, or even the chicken pox than you do. Both of these viruses are of the herpes virus family which as well as cause visible effects of their infection, also hide in your nerves waiting to reinfect later.
I say ‘hides’ because our bodies have actually developed mechanisms to prevent our own body’s defenses from attacking nerve cells. These defenses are necessary because nerve cells are extremely important for movement and being able to react to the environment around you. This can be as simple as putting on a sweater because your can sense that your body is cold or moving your hand out of the fire because you can sense that it is painful.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus or HSV-1. The virus infects the cells in your lips as well as traveling up the sensory neurons. Your body controls the virus by killing the cells in your lips which are infected with the virus; this cell death causes the blistering sore. The virus particles which have made it to the nerves hide in waiting.
Factors such as sunlight or stress (which causes changes in hormones) can reactivate the virus which will travel back down to the lips and reinfect them producing a new sore. This cycle can be repeated numerous times throughout the life of the person. Even if you do not have cold sores there is still a possibility that you can have the virus in your nerves and it is just not being reactivated. 70-90% of adults have this virus.
The virus that causes chicken pox, the varicella-zoster herpes virus, also hides out in your nervous system. As a child the virus spreads to your skin and you have the itchy-red spotted rash. Some of the viruses hide in the nerves and wait until the person is older and their defences become less effective. When this occurs the virus re-emerges and causes shingles, a similar rash. Although the HSV-1 virus can reinfect many times the varicella-zoster virus only reinfects once.
Other herpes viruses:
HSV-2 which causes genital sores occurs in 20-60% of adults.
Epstein-Barr virus, EBV, which causes glandular fever, occurs in ~90% of adults.
Cytomegalovirus, CMV, which causes mild fever, occurs is 40-100% of adults.
Again, even if you do not have any symptoms the virus can still be present in your body.
HSV is Herpes. HPV is genital warts, Certain strains of HPV (warts) can cause abnormal pap cells on your cervix and can also cause ovarian cysts or even ovarian cancer. Herpes will just cause blisters that can be itchy or painful that burst and crust over. You’ll likely feel like you have a cold when you have an outbreak. Sometimes, there are bo symptoms of either. HSV-1 and HSV-2 can infect any part of the body but HSV-1 is typically contracted initially by contact with the mouth. Anyone who gets cold sores probably has HSV-1, but it could be HSV-2, as well. I knew a girl who had an HSV-2 infection on her finger. Another had it on her lower leg.
It is a virus, so when your immune system is down, you will be more likely to have an outbreak. It’s like any infection. Unfortunately, STD/STI tests run in the U.S. that are covered by insurance (not sure about AU) do not check for Herpes. Gynos don’t even recommend doing it unless someone has symptoms, which seems ridiculous bc so many people are assymptomatic. Which makes it spread like crazy. Even people that have it can take an antiviral pill that will make transmission harder. But if no one knows, it keeps spreading. Sigh.
Nope. HSV-1 is an infection in your lips which you can contract by simply touching virus to your mouth by kissing someone with a sore(or is about to get one).
HSV-2 is genital warts which you contract through sex, but recently they have discovered than the 2 strains can be found in opposite places. I think the transmission is self explanatory.
interesting, a friend said the same thing to me the other day. but how do you catch HSV-1? is that an sti?
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A new report by the World Health Organization estimates that two out of three adults under the age of 50 had herpes simplex virus 1 in 2012. That’s 3.7 billion people worldwide who are infected. But that doesn't mean it's time to panic. Shutterstock

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Nov 5, 2015, 3:45pm Martha Kempner

A new report by the World Health Organization estimates that two out of three adults under the age of 50 had herpes simplex virus 1 in 2012. That’s 3.7 billion people worldwide who are infected. But that doesn't mean it's time to panic.
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We used to call them cold sores or fever blisters and dismiss them as unsightly and annoying. But the truth is that little sore in the corner of your uncle’s mouth was always caused by a herpes virus that is easy to spread. So easy, in fact, that a new report by the World Health Organization estimates that two out of three adults under the age of 50 had herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in 2012. That’s 3.7 billion people worldwide who are infected. Before we panic and start to plan for the herpes apocalypse, though, we should know a few things about this sexually transmitted infection (STI).
There are actually eight herpes viruses that can infect humans. Some are associated with known childhood sicknesses like chicken pox and roseola, and others can cause illnesses such as Epstein-Barr, which leads to chronic fatigue and other symptoms. The two herpes viruses talked about the most, however, are HSV-1 and HSV-2, because both are sexually transmitted.
It used to be thought that HSV-1 caused all infections above the waist and HSV-2 was responsible for those below. While it is more common for HSV-1 to infect the mouth and HSV-2 the genitals, we know now that either strain of the virus can cause infection in either place. Herpes is spread when cells from infected skin come in contact with either broken skin (like a cut or a sore) or mucous membranes such as the lips or genitals.
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One thing that makes herpes infections so common is that it can be spread whenever the virus is shedding, which can happen when people are not experiencing any symptoms. Though this can make prevention more challenging, people who get multiple outbreaks often come to learn what their skin feels like right before an outbreak and know to avoid contact with others at that point.
As Rewire previously reported , there is a new theory that may explain why so many younger people are becoming infected with herpes. Research suggests that in the past, kids were exposed to the virus during childhood—possibly as a result of kissing relatives who thought nothing of the cold sore they had on their mouth. This exposure allowed their immune systems to build up antibodies that could protect against infection if or when they were exposed again once they became sexually active.
A rising awareness of avoiding contact during outbreaks, coupled with generally more hygienic living situations, means kids do not get exposed at a young age and do not develop antibodies. This leaves their immune systems unprotected when they start having sex. The researchers believe that the lack of antibodies, coupled with an increase in oral sex , is a recipe for more genital herpes infections caused by HSV-1 in the future.
For many people, infection with herpes is a non-event. They will never experience symptoms and won’t even know they have the virus. Some people might experience mild symptoms , like tiny sores on the skin that they barely notice or mistake for an ingrown hair, pimple, bug bite, or very chapped lips.
Others may get an unmistakable fluid-filled blister or even a cluster of them. Blisters can appear on the lips, inside the mouth, back of the throat, genitals, or rectum. The blisters then break, leaving sores that are painful and may be slow to heal. Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, aches, or swollen glands, can also accompany an initial outbreak.
For some people, the first outbreak is the only outbreak. Others will have recurrences , especially in the first year. These outbreaks are usually not as severe or as long-lasting as the first one. Some people find that they have repeat infections in moments when they are run-down or stressed out. Repeat infections usually stop on their own after about five years.
Though herpes can never be cured, antiviral drugs can help cut down on the frequency, severity, and length of outbreaks.
Outbreaks of herpes can be severe for some people, particularly people with suppressed immune systems due to HIV, AIDS, or other underlying health conditions. Moreover, outbreaks of herpes make becoming infected or infecting a partner with HIV far more likely because of the presence of open sores and blood.
Herpes can also be serious for pregnant women and newborns. Without treatment, active outbreaks can lead to miscarriage or premature birth and, if passed from mother to baby during delivery, it can lead to neonatal herpes, which is potentially deadly for the infant. Women who have a history of herpes should tell their health-care provider, who will continue to examine them for sores during their pregnancy. If any sores are found around the time of delivery, the provider will suggest a c-section to prevent the newborn’s exposure to the virus.
The good news is that, as mentioned earlier, for many people infected with herpes, nothing happens . The virus travels down the nerve endings and stays there, causing no damage. And the person may never know they have it.
Moreover, people who do have herpes outbreaks can live long and healthy lives and still have sex without passing the virus to their partners. Current research on HSV-2, for example, suggests that men with genital herpes who are not having an outbreak carry a 10 percent risk of transmitting the virus to their female partner if they have unprotected sex. That risk is cut in half to 5 percent if they use condoms during sex, and cut in half again if the man is taking antiviral medicine. Women have a slightly lower risk of passing it to their male partners—a 4 percent risk from unprotected sex, a 2 percent risk if they use condoms, and a 1 percent risk if they are also using medication. Though data for HSV-1 is not available, it is spread in the same fashion.
By avoiding some sexual contact during outbreaks, using condoms, and taking advantage of antiviral therapy if needed, we can do a lot to prevent the further spread of herpes.
At the same time, by understanding how easily transmissible the virus is and just how many people have it—and encouraging everyone to get testing and any treatment they need—we can do a lot to end the stigma and shame surrounding it.
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