What is oral herpes?
May 22nd, 2008 | by admin |Herpes is a common and usually mild recurrent skin condition; most infections are unrecognized and undiagnosed. Herpes is caused by a virus: the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV is in a family of viruses called herpesviruses. This family includes Epstein-Barr virus (the cause of mono) and the varicella zoster virus (the cause of chicken pox and shingles). Although there are several viruses in the herpesvirus family, each is a separate virus and different from one another. Having one virus does not mean you will have another.
There are two types of herpes simplex: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV can cause oral herpes (sometimes called cold sores or fever blisters) on the mouth or facial area as well as genital herpes. The majority of oral herpes cases are caused by HSV-1 and the majority of genital herpes cases are caused by HSV-2; however, type-1 or type-2 can occur in either the genital or oral area.
