Are cold sores always herpes?
Cold sores are always herpes. There are two types of the herpes virus, one that causes oral (around the mouth) herpes, and one that causes genital herpes. Either kind of herpes can be spread through oral sex. Many people have cold sores, but do not have genital herpes. Many of us already have the cold sore virus dormant in our bodies, and never have a flare up of cold sores. We contracted it as children, as it is a very common virus, and children pick it up easily as they often share food and drinks, and may be less concerned about hand washing and hygiene. Cold sores can be transmitted even when the person does not have a cold sore, though it is less likely to happen then. These sites are informative. http://www.herpes.com/hsv1-2.html http://www.herpesdiagnosis.com/
