Herpes why do you get it

Children will often contract HSV-1 from early contact with an adult who has an infection. They then carry the virus with them for the rest of their lives. The virus spreads more quickly during an outbreak. An estimated 67 percent of people ages 49 or younger are seropositive for HSV-1, though they may never experience an outbreak.

HSV-2 infections are spread through contact with a herpes sore. In contrast, most people get HSV-1 from a person with an infection who is asymptomatic, or does not have sores.

Anyone can contract HSV, regardless of age. Your risk is based almost entirely on exposure to the infection. In cases of sexually transmitted HSV, people are more at risk when they have sex not protected by condoms or other barrier methods. If a pregnant woman is having an outbreak of genital herpes at the time of childbirth, it can expose the baby to both types of HSV, and may put them at risk for serious complications. They may also transmit the virus to others.

You may also experience symptoms that are similar to the flu. These symptoms can include:. HSV can also spread to the eyes, causing a condition called herpes keratitis. This can cause symptoms such as eye pain , discharge, and a gritty feeling in the eye. This type of virus is generally diagnosed with a physical exam. Your doctor may check your body for sores and ask you about some of your symptoms. Your doctor may also request HSV testing. This is known as a herpes culture. It will confirm the diagnosis if you have sores on your genitals.

During this test, your doctor will take a swab sample of fluid from the sore and then send it to a laboratory for testing. This is especially helpful when there are no sores present.

Alternatively, at-home testing for Herpes Simplex is available. They may not even know they are infected. Some people with genital herpes can have "outbreaks" of sores in the genital and anal area. Genitals are the sexual or reproductive organs that are on the outside of the body. The sores heal within a few weeks. Outbreaks can be brought on by stress, illness, being overly tired, or being in sunlight. Girls can have outbreaks when they get their periods.

HSV-1 is the virus that causes cold sores around the mouth. It can cause genital herpes when it spreads through oral sex. But most of the time, genital herpes is caused by HSV Genital herpes can spread even if there are no sores because the virus is still in the body.

The virus sometimes "sheds" in the skin near the genitals. When the virus is shedding, it can infect another person. People with genital herpes need to tell recent, current, and future sex partners about their infection. Because someone may never have symptoms or may not have symptoms for months to years after infection, a current partner may not be the source of the infection.

The only way to prevent genital herpes and other STDs is abstinence. However, some people have no symptoms at all. During the initial infection, sores can occur on and around the lips and throughout the mouth.

Recurring infections tend to be much milder, and the sores usually erupt on the edges of the lips. Some people never have any additional outbreaks beyond the initial infection. The following are the most common signs and symptoms of a recurring oral herpes simplex virus infection. Painful, fluid-filled blisters may appear on the lips or under the nose.

The blisters and fluid are highly contagious. The signs and symptoms of an oral herpes outbreak may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your health care provider for an accurate diagnosis. Since oral herpes can be confused with many other infections, including allergic reactions, a virus culture PCR , blood test or biopsy are the only ways to confirm your diagnosis.

However, your health care provider may also diagnose your condition based on the location and appearance of the blisters. Although the specific triggers that cause oral herpes to recur are unclear, several factors may play a role.

These include:.