Sorely Confused – Cold Sore, Canker Sore, Chancre?
People suffer from an array of sores on their mouths and their genitals, but there are three types of sore that by virtue of their name and location are frequently confused. These are canker sores, the cold sores caused by oral herpes, and the chancre sores caused by syphilis.1. Cold SoresPhoto courtesy of the CDC/ Dr. K. L. HermannCold sores, or fever blisters, are caused by a herpes virus. These small painful blisters are most often found around the lips, and usually break open, crust over, and heal over the period of a week to 10 days. Cold sores are usually caused by HSV-1, the type of virus most often associated with oral herpes, but can also be caused by HSV-2, which i
