What does herpes simplex virus cause

COVID and cutaneous manifestations: a systematic review. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. World Health Organization. Globally, an estimated two-thirds of the population under 50 are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1. Stoeger T, Adler H. Front Microbiol. Strength in diversity: understanding the pathways to herpes simplex virus reactivation. Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and antibody response to primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in young women.

Clin Infect Dis. The natural history of recurrent herpes simplex labialis: implications for antiviral therapy. N Engl J Med. Herpetic croup: two case reports and a review of the literature. Acta Paediatr. Detection of herpes simplex virus genomic DNA in various subsets of erythema multiforme by polymerase chain reaction. Viral infections in atopic dermatitis: pathogenic aspects and clinical management.

J Allergy Clin Immunol. The epidemiology and clinical analysis of several outbreaks of herpes gladiatorum. Anderson BJ. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Herpes simplex virus latency: the DNA repair-centered pathway. Brown JC. Adv Virol.

Herpesviruses: latency and reactivation - viral strategies and host response. Grinde B. J Oral Microbiol. Immunological control of herpes simplex virus infections. J Neurovirol. The seroepidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 in Europe.

Sex Transm Infect. Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and type 2 in the Frankfurt am Main area, Germany. Med Microbiol Immunol. Cell Host Microbe. A daily anti-herpes medicine can make it less likely to pass the infection on to your sex partner s. Genital herpes can cause painful genital sores and can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems. If you touch your sores or fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another body part like your eyes.

Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, quickly wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading the infection. If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your unborn fetus, or newborn baby.

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 called neonatal herpes. 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 herpes, you should talk to your sex partner s about their risk. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners.

You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your health, sex life, and relationships. While herpes is not curable, it is important to know that it is manageable with medicine. Daily suppressive therapy i. Talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns and treatment options.

Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Common Causes. Infection and Reactivation. Health Risk Factors. Lifestyle Risk Factors. Next in Herpes Guide.

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Related Articles. Herpes Vaccine Development: Priorities and Progress. What Does That Mean? What Is Eye Herpes? Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. Genital herpes Open pop-up dialog box Close. Genital herpes Sores associated with genital herpes can be small red bumps, blisters or open sores. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. More Information Genital herpes: Can you get it from a toilet seat? Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Genital herpes: CDC detailed fact sheet.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Jan. Klausner JD, et al. Genital herpes. New York, N. Albrecht MA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus infection. Longo DL, et al.