Herpes viruses are ancient companions of humanity. Most people have been exposed to at least one of the eight known verities. Some well-known members of the family include Epstein-Barr, herpes zoster ( chicken pox and shingles) , and the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which comes in two types. HSV1 generally produces sores around the mouth, called cold sores or fever blisters, while HSV2 usually causes sores I the genital area.
Either virus can cause outbreaks on the mouth or genitals, though it’s true that HSV2 is less likely to be found on the mouth. Oral sex can spread virus from the one place to another. In adolescents these days, about 30 to 40 % of new cases of genital herpes infections come from HSV1, the fever blister virus. Exposure to HSV1 is very common - 50 to 80 % of the population may carry this virus. It spreads easily by kissing or other facial contact or by sharing food and eating utensils surprisingly, 90% of those with HSV2 don’t know they have it. They either have no symptoms or mild ones. And they may blame their symptoms on something else.
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