Herpes results from infection with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It causes sores or blisters to form in or around the mouth or genitals, alongside other symptoms.

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There are two types of HSV:

herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) causes oral herpes, which usually affects the flagyl online pharmacy mouth and surrounding skin but can also affect the genital region.
herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) typically causes genital herpes, usually sexually transmitted.
There is no cure for herpes, but treatment can help manage symptoms and reduce the likelihood of outbreaks recurring and transmission to partners.

HSV is a common virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source, around 67% of people under age 50 globally have an HSV-1 infection, and 13% under age 50 have an HSV-2 infection.

In this article, we describe the symptoms of genital and oral herpes, how to treat them, and how to prevent these infections.

What is genital herpes?
Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), with roughly 572,000Trusted Source new infections developing each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, a person with genital herpes might not have symptoms or have only mild symptoms. Most people may not macrobid 50mg usa know they have it. Approximately 87.4%Trusted Source of 14-49 year-olds who have genital herpes do not have a clinical diagnosis.

The characteristic symptoms of genital herpes are small blistering lesions, also called cold sores when on the face, usually found around the genitals, rectum, or mouth. The fluid-filled blisters burst and then turn into small, painful sores that can last for two-to-four weeks after they break open.

Learn more about cold sores here.

Sometimes, particularly with their first outbreak of genital herpes, people can have additional symptoms which affect their whole bodies, such as:

fever
headache
body aches
swollen lymph nodes
painful urination
eye infection
After a person has an initial outbreak of genital herpes, they are likely to have more because herpes never goes away entirely. Later outbreaks of herpes are generally milder than the first.

Genital herpes is primarily caused by HSV-2 but it can also be caused by HSV-1.

HSV-2 infection is usually spread only by genital contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. A person can also get a genital HSV-1 infection by having oral sex with someone who has an oral HSV-1 infection.

The genital herpes virus cannot spread through general contact with objects, such as toilets, doorknobs, or towels.

Learn more about genital herpes here.

What is oral herpes?
More than half of American adults have oral herpes. Some estimates say up to 80% of American adults have oral herpes.

Oral herpes is primarily caused by HSV-1, although it is also possible to have an HSV-2 infection around the mouth.

A person with an oral herpes outbreak may first feel itching, burning, or tingling around the mouth, lips, or tongue. Later, cold sores or small blisters may develop in these areas or anywhere on the skin.

Roughly four to six days after these cold sores start leaking, they start healing by forming a crust. Outbreaks of oral herpes can last for two to three weeks, which can be shorter than the two to six weeks of a genital herpes outbreak.

Learn more about cold sore stages here.



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Learn more about how to visually identify herpes here.



Herpes symptoms
People remeron cost who develop symptoms of herpes may first experience tingling, itching, or burning, then notice sores or blisters forming around the mouth or genitals.

Symptoms tend to develop 2–20 days after exposure to the virus.

Oral herpes symptoms
Oral herpes causes blisters, sometimes called fever sores or cold sores, to develop in or around the lips and mouth.

Sometimes these blisters form elsewhere on the face or tongue, and more rarely on other areas of skin.

The sores usually last 2–3 weeks at a time before clearing up.

Genital herpes symptoms
These sores tend to develop on the penis, around or inside the vagina, on the buttocks, or on the anus, though they can form on other areas of skin.

Herpes can also cause pain when urinating, and changes in vaginal discharge.

The first time a person develops the sores, they may last 2–6 weeks before clearing up.

Soon after this initial outbreak, symptoms may recur frequently. Over time, outbreaks may occur less often and the symptoms typically become less severe.

Initial episode symptoms
These occur when a person first develops the infection.

Alongside sores or blisters, herpes may cause:

pain and itching
swollen lymph nodes
a fever
fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell
In most cases, the lesions heal without long-term scarring.


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