What Ways Can You Get Herpes?
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Herpes Overview
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To know the various ways you can get herpes, you must first understand the nature of the virus that causes painful, unpleasant outbreaks. Unlike the flu virus, which is airborne, your skin must come into contact with the virus, typically through direct skin-to-skin touching with someone who has either herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) or herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), both of which can cause outbreaks on both the mouth and genitals.
Once you've been infected with HSV, the virus stays inside of your body for a lifetime. The HSV-1 resides in the ganglia (nerves) closes to the top of your spine, while the HSV-2 lives in the ganglia at the base of your spine. HSV-1 tends to cause more outbreaks above the waist, and HSV-2 tends to cause more outbreaks below the waist; however, both of these HSVs can travel to other parts of the body. Herpes cannot be cured, only managed using prescription oral antiviral medications. Make sure that you know all of the ways herpes can be transmitted so you can avoid lifelong infection with herpes.
Vaginal Sex
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According to the Mayo Clinic, 90 percent of cases of herpes that cause genital outbreaks are caused by the HSV-2 virus, which is passed from an infected sexual partner to an uninfected sexual partner through unprotected sexual intercourse. Even when someone doesn't have an active outbreak of herpes sores on or around his genitals, the HSV-2 virus can still be transmitted through asymptomatic shedding of the virus through small cracks in the skin. Routine and correct use of latex condoms will reduce your chances of getting genital herpes, but there's no absolute guarantee you won't get herpes.
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Oral Sex
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HSV-1 is the herpes virus type most closely associated with oral herpes--also called fever blisters and cold sores. HSV-1 that causes oral herpes is extremely common in the U.S. population, and most people get it sometime during childhood, when they receive a kiss from a friend or relative--according to the American Social Health Association, between 50 and 80 percent of people have HSV-1 that causes oral herpes. However, HSV-1 can also cause genital outbreaks too, especially when a sexual partner has an active lesion on the lips or mouth. Recall that HSV-1 resides in the ganglia closest to the head and face, but the virus can still travel through the nerve pathways to the genital region to cause an outbreak. Genital outbreaks caused by HSV-1 tend to be milder and less frequent than those caused by HSV-2. Similarly, you can get oral herpes caused by HSV-2 if you perform oral sex on a partner with genital herpes caused by this virus type. However, oral outbreaks caused by HSV-2 are rare.
Anal Sex
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Herpes can also be passed from an infected partner to an uninfected partner through anal sex in much the same way it's transmitted through vaginal sex. Delicate mucous membrane tissues, such as the mouth, genitals and anus, are highly susceptible to herpes virus; it's possible for herpes outbreaks to affect the area of the anus or rectum. It's important for anyone with herpes to wear latex condoms during anal sex to avoid spreading the virus to others.
What About Kissing?
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As noted above, many people have had fever blisters caused by the HSV-1 virus. ASHA estimates that 90 percent of the population will have oral herpes caused by HSV-1 by the time they reach age 50. While most of the time the HSV-1 virus is passed from one person to another through direct contact, such as kissing, you can also get HSV-1 by sharing infected razors, towels and eating utensils. However, if you experience an outbreak of oral herpes--a fever blister or cold sore--this does not mean that you'll have an outbreak of herpes on your genitals as result of contracting the HSV-1 virus.
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