Browsing: Genital Herpes

Comprehensive Information, Resources, and Support on Genital Herpes


Genital herpes is one of the most common types of STDs which is caused by a virus known as herpes simplex virus (HSV). The disease tends to cause sores on the genital or rectal area, thighs and buttocks. A person can easily get the disease from another infected person through sexual intercourse.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) has a characteristic of getting transmitted by “skin-to-skin” contact. It can be transmitted even when there are no herpes lesions visible on the skin. Although HSV-2 is rarely contracted through oral sex, transmission is possible orally in some cases, if one of the sex partners is having genital herpes.

Herpes simplex virus 2 is a sexually transmitted virus. The virus can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. It enters the body and stays in dormant stage in spinal nerves. With certain triggers, the virus grows and causes symptoms to develop such as blisters in genital region.

Most of the individuals infected with HSV don’t have any symptoms or experience very mild symptoms that go unnoticed or sometimes are mistaken for another skin condition. In case of appearance of the symptoms, herpes lesions typically appear as one or more vesicles, or small classical blisters, on or around the genitals, rectum or mouth.

Herpes simplex viruses are very common, host-adapted pathogens that cause a wide variety of disease conditions. There are two different types of herpes viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both are closely related but differ in epidemiology. HSV-1 is more commonly associated with orofacial disease.