To date, there are two kinds of herpes simplex virus infections that can cause oral and/or genital herpes:
• HSV-1: This is the type of herpes virus that is a more common cause of oral herpes, which presents with cold sores or blisters around your mouth. HSV-1 is often spread through skin-to-skin contact, and hence it can also be transmitted to your genital area during oral sex. Therefore, it may cause genital herpes as well. Recurrent episodes are much less common when compared to HSV-2 infection.
• HSV-2: This is the type of herpes virus that usually causes genital herpes. Generally, a person can only get herpes type 2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. However, the virus spreads through sexual contact as well as skin-to-skin contact somtimes. HSV-2 is ubiquitous and highly contagious, and it can transmit from one person to another even in the absence of an open sore.
Potential Herpes Triggers
Sexual Transmission
Anyone who is sexually active has undoubtedly a risk of acquiring herpes infection. You are most likely to spread herpes to a sexual partner in the presence of blisters and open sores. However, it’s also possible to spread herpes infection to your partner in the absence of any signs or symptoms. This is due to the reason that herpes infection can be present on your body without causing any symptoms, like blisters or pain. Therefore, any person who has the disease can shed the virus and pass it to a sexual partner at any time.
It is understood that the friction during sexual intercourse irritates the skin and spreads the infection. It should be noted that although the friction of sexual intercourse seems to be a problem trigger, it probably won’t cause a flare-up every time.
Having multiple sexual partners, young age at the first sexual encounter, and having another sexually transmitted illness increases the likelihood of acquiring herpes infection.
Female Gender and Pregnancy
Females are more likely to have genital herpes than men. The virus is transmitted more easily from male to female than vice versa. Many women become infected with HSV when they’re young and are not aware of having the disease unless they’re tested, sometimes many years later. It is believed that hormonal changes like those during menstruation can also trigger an outbreak.
Although most women with genital herpes give birth to healthy babies, they always have a risk of transmitting the virus to newborn, while giving birth. This can lead to various complications in a neonate.
Cold and Sunlight
The common cold and sunlight seem to be among the triggers responsible for outbreaks of oral herpes (cold sores), but as yet, no proof exists that they trigger genital herpes outbreaks.
Surgery and Weak Immune System
Physical trauma to the body, for instance, while having surgery, may make you more prone to herpes symptoms. Moreover, people whose immune systems are weakened by other illnesses as in HIV or chemotherapy, tend to have outbreaks more often than healthy people with optimum immunity.
Keep in mind that triggers may not be the same for everyone, and doctors are not sure about how lifestyle affects herpes symptoms. You may have a trigger that is not listed or is yet to be found, so if you have a feeling about what may be causing you a herpes outbreak, talk to your healthcare provider.
