Herpes Doctor

The word virus is Latin for poison or slime. A virus is a microscopic
parasite that often causes disease in the human body. It consists
essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat.
A virus cannot replicate without a host cell. Viruses are not considered living
organisms.

The word Herpes is derived from herpein, which is Greek for creeping. The main symptom of most
Herpes viruses is a skin rash that spreads, or
creeps.

All Herpes viruses are easily spread, ranging from spreading
via humidity in the air to spreading via mucus membrane contact
(typically sexually transmitted). Herpes is mostly contagious
in the incubation period.

The Three Major Herpes Groups

Herpes viruses are subdivided into 3 groups, all called Human
Herpes Viruses (HHV). There are other Herpes viruses but the
following are the most common:

Alpha Herpes Virus

• Herpes Simplex 1, also known as Human Herpes Virus 1 or HSV1 causes cold sores and occasionally Genital Herpes
• Herpes Simplex 2, also known as Human Herpes virus 2 or HSV2 causes Genital Herpes and occasionally cold sores
• Varicella Herpes Zoster, also known as VZV or Human Herpes
  Virus 3 causes chickenpox and shingles
• Epstein-Barr virus, also known as Human Herpes Virus 4 causes Mononucleosis

Beta Herpes Virus

• Cytomegalovirus, also known as Human Herpes Virus 5 or
  CMV causes no symptoms or illness in healthy people

Gamma Herpes Virus

• Epstein-Barr virus, also known as Human Herpes Virus causes Mononucleosis

No Cure for Herpes

Herpes viruses can't be cured as there is still no medication that
will attack only the Herpes virus and not the host cell. Antiviral
treatment will have considerable effect on some Herpes viruses by
keeping the virus latent permanently or for long periods.

Herpes is for Life

Once you've caught Herpes, it will stay in your body permanently.
The immune defense system will develop antibodies which will fight
the Herpes virus. After Herpes-related illness the antibodies will
stay in the body to keep the Herpes virus latent.

Herpes can Reactivate Causing Multiple Outbreaks

In some cases, Herpes will reactivate, for example Herpes Simplex
which causes cold sores and Genital Herpes. It is not known why this
happens to some people and not in others. Antiviral treatment will
have good effects in most cases.

Reactivation Facts

• There is great variation in the reactivation pattern of Herpes
  viruses.
• Herpes Simplex is particularly prone to reactivation, from
  once in a lifetime to several times a year.
• Herpes Zoster only
  reactivates with shingles as the result in 50% of people who have had
  chickenpox.
• Epstein-Barr will not not reactivate after Mononucleosis.
• Cytomegalovirus will cause no symptoms in healthy people but can be
  very serious in immunocompromised patients and babies born from
  mothers with primary infection during pregnancy.

Low Immune Defense - Key to Herpes Reactivation

A low immune defense system is a key in Herpes reactivation. Herpes
Simplex appears to reactivate with very individual patterns. Triggers
can be other illnesses, stress, exposure to sun light, change in season,
lack of sleep etc, whereas Cytomegalovirus requires another serious
condition like AIDS to reactivate.

Herpes viruses have been around as long as humanity and are very
common all over the world. Most people have Cytomegalovirus and
Epstein-Barr virus and 50 to 80% of all people have Herpes Simplex 1
or 2.

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