What is genital herpes?
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses (HSV) type 1 and type 2. Most genital herpes is caused by HSV type 2. Most people have no or minimal symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When symptoms do occur, they usually appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving ulcers or tender sores that may take up to four weeks to heal. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months later. Although the infection can stay in the body forever, the number of outbreaks usually decreases over a period of years. You can pass genital herpes to someone else even when you experience no symptoms.
Genital herpes is a common infection caused by a virus called herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-1 is the most common form of the virus, causing cold sores on or near the lips and mouth area. HSV-1 is also responsible for an increasing number of genital herpes infections because it can be transmitted to the genitals from a person with a cold sore during oral sex. HSV-2 has been the most common cause of genital herpes, causing sores and blisters on or near the genitals and surrounding areas. It is almost always transmitted through genital-to-genital contact.
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. There are two primary types of genital herpes called HSV-1 and HSV-2. Although the herpes simplex virus can stay in the a personas body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a long period of time.
