What is Herpes?

What is herpes? That's a question being asked by a lot of people and it is little wonder. The human herpes virus, or HHV as it is also called, is found around the world.

Being infected with this virus can be devastating. It's hard to feel attractive if a person has a cold sore or is suffering from a stye. The pain and discomfort from some forms of this virus can be excruciating.

This virus is to contagious it is considered an infectious skin disease. So far, there is no cure for herpes.

Another difficulty in controlling this virus is that people can be infected without even being aware of it, during which time they can be infecting other people.

Most of us think of herpes as being a sexually transmitted disease. There are two types of herpes HHV 1 and HHV 2 that are designated as HSV 1 and HSV 2. These can be spread by sexual activity but others are not.

In fact, there are 8 forms of herpes that affect humans. These are identified as human herpes virus 1 though 8 (HHV1-HHV8).

Different Types of Herpes Virus

  • HHV 1 - herpes simplex virus 1
  • HHV 2 – herpes simplex virus 2
  • HHV 3 – varicella-zoster virus
  • HHV 4 - Epstein-Barr virus
  • HHV 5 – cytomegalovirus
  • HHV 6 – recently found in the blood cells
  • HHV 7 – recently found and is closely related to HHV 6
  • HHV 8 – recently discovered in tumors called Kaposi's Sarcoma
The answer to the question: What is herpes is simple, it is a virus. That is where simplicity ends. We should know and be aware of the symptoms of herpes. What treatment is used will depend on what type of herpes a person may have and what the stage of infection the herpes virus.

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Have you suffered from herpes? Perhaps you have found something that has helped you through your ordeal. Share your experience with us!

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Natural Remedies for Herpes  Not rated yet
Herpes plain and simple is a virus. Even though there are over-the-counter remedies for herpes, many people prefer to use natural remedies.
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