Herpes is an infectious disease that is triggered by viruses and then never leaves the body. The virus is very contagious and the infections it causes are manifold.
This is not just one virus, but a group of viruses that can cause infections in different parts of the body.
Virus types
The most widespread diseases are found in the mouth and nose, known as herpes simplex I, and the genitals, known as herpes simplex II, but there are up to eight different variants and other parts of the body can also be affected. The skin and mucous membranes are generally affected.
The infection occurs in the form of cold sores or blisters in the genital area and is relatively painful. The blisters are signalled by a tingling and itching sensation and can be seen on the skin shortly afterwards.
Around 90% of the population is infected with one of the herpes viruses, as transmission is very simple. It can be transmitted through direct contact, e.g. when kissing, drinking from a cup, eating from the same cutlery, etc., i.e. through so-called droplet and smear infection.
The probability of a mother infecting her child, or siblings infecting each other, is very high.
In many cases, blisters occur repeatedly, as the pathogens remain in the body for life. In most cases, the recurrence rate decreases over time and blisters appear less and less frequently as the immune system has formed antibodies against them. However, this does not mean that they disappear, as they can lie dormant camouflaged in nerve cells until they lead to another flare-up.
However, the general condition of the person also has an influence, as stress and colds can cause the pathogens to become active again, as can too much exposure to the sun or hormone fluctuations.
Type II viruses are usually transmitted during puberty or adulthood, as they are primarily contracted through contact between the infected area and the genitals, e.g. during oral or anal sex. This form of herpes has to do with the liberalisation of sexual practices, because nowadays it occurs more frequently during puberty.
Chickenpox
The childhood disease chickenpox is also caused by a herpes virus, which is described as type III and is called herpes varicella zoster. Nowadays, children can be vaccinated against chickenpox, but adults can also be affected.
Other skin diseases can occur as a consequence, such as shingles, which develops from chickenpox. The effects are often more serious in adults than in children and re-infection is possible.
Preventive measures
If you recognise an impending episode of blisters, you should avoid any contact with the affected areas, as they are full of viruses, and this also applies to the crusts that form on the blisters later.
This means that in order to avoid spreading the disease to other areas or even infecting other people, you should pay close attention to hygiene and strictly control the use of crockery, cutlery and towels.
Immediate treatment with special creams is recommended to shorten the course of the disease.
