How is the herpes simplex virus transmitted? Ways of transmission of herpes, how contagious is it? Is herpes contagious on the lips

Lives in the human body in ninety percent of people. At the same time, he may not make himself felt for a long time. A cold on the lips is a fairly common disease. Therefore, many are wondering if herpes on the lips is contagious, how the herpes virus is transmitted and how many days it is contagious.

Herpes refers to an infectious disease that occurs as a result of exposure to certain factors. The main reasons for the development are considered to be the following.

Hypothermia or overheating.
The occurrence of stressful situations.
A sharp decrease in immune function.
innate factor.
Unprotected intercourse with a sick person.
Severe intoxication of the body.

All these reasons lead to the activation of the herpes virus, which is manifested by the following symptoms.

Redness.
Itching and burning.
The appearance of bubbles.
The appearance of bubbles after two or three days.
Temperature rise.
Severe pain in the affected area.
The manifestation of a wound in place of bursting pimples. After a while, they become covered with a crust that cannot be touched and removed.

A few prejudices about herpes

This disease was known a few years before our era. As soon as the frosty season sets in, small rashes appear on the lips. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows what herpes is and how to deal with it. As a result, several misconceptions have arisen.

Herpes is not contagious. Many patients are still interested in the question of whether a cold on the lips is contagious or not. It is believed that the herpes virus is transmitted by airborne droplets during sneezing, talking or coughing, contact through kissing, touching and sharing utensils, as well as sexually. Infection of the baby from the mother can occur during the birth process. Often this process occurs due to the presence of genital herpes in the expectant mother.
Herpes refers to the manifestations of the common cold. Herpes is an independent disease. Activation of herpes occurs due to hypothermia, stressful situations, overwork, the presence of chronic diseases or a weakening of the immune function.
Rashes on the lips indicate that the cold is receding. If pimples appear on the body or on the lips, this does not mean that the disease is fading away. In fact, the rash appears when the immune function is weakened, and the patient remains infectious.
The pimples are gone and the cold is gone. Unfortunately, if the herpes virus enters the body, it will remain there forever. With each weakening of immune functions, colds on the lips will reappear. It is believed that the herpes virus enters the body at the age of three to four years.
Herpes is contagious only when pimples appear. When herpes is in the active phase, the risk of getting infected is much greater. Transmission of herpes can occur at any time if a person has microtrauma of the skin and mucous membranes.
Genital herpes and colds on the lips are different diseases. This statement is not entirely true. Cold sores are caused by a type 1 virus, while genital herpes is a type 2 virus. But both types of the disease can lead to rashes in the lips or genitals. Often, genital herpes occurs as a result of oral love.
Condoms will protect against genital herpes. Indeed, the use of a condom reduces the risk of infection, but no one gives a 100% guarantee. Herpes is also transmitted through other parts of the body.
The best treatment is the use of brilliant green, iodine or alcohol. When cauterizing rashes with these drugs, the activity of the virus does not decrease. But there is a chance to burn the skin or mucous membranes. An effective and safe treatment is the use of antiseptic preparations that do not contain alcohol. During an exacerbation of herpes, it is necessary to treat with special means in the form of Acyclovir. If the patient gets sick too often, then he is advised to strengthen the immune function and take antiviral drugs.
Herpes is a benign disease and affects only the skin. According to statistics, herpes ranks second in terms of patient mortality. It is believed that the herpes virus is embedded in nerve cells, as a result of which pimples appear exactly in those places where the nerve endings are located. Because of this, the patient feels pain. Once the immune system is weakened, the virus begins to develop. Possible brain damage, which can lead to death or paralysis.

The spread of herpes

People have always wondered how herpes is transmitted. It is worth noting that the herpes virus is resistant to environmental influences. It does not die in the cold, tolerates high temperatures and lives well in water. If it is present in the environment, it is still not enough for infection. A greater likelihood of infection occurs through close contact with the patient.

In practice, there are three ways of transmitting herpes.

Through touch. If a person touches the formed pimples on the lips of the patient, then the disease will be transmitted one hundred percent. At this stage, the virus is in the active phase and easily enters damaged tissues or mucous membranes.
Then another question arises, is herpes on the lips transmitted by kissing? Yes, you can catch herpes not only during kissing, but also during oral sex.
Through the airborne route. The incubation period for a cold sore is seven to thirty days after infection. After that, throughout life, the virus is in the saliva and mucus of a person. Its quantity is not so large, but with a weakened immune system, this is enough for the development of the disease. Infection can occur during sneezing, talking or coughing.
Through the household way. A person who suffers is dangerous not only for others, but also for himself. But in this case, how is herpes transmitted on the lips? If the patient, after treating the affected area, does not wash his hands with soap, then germs spread to everything that the patient touches.

The varicella-zoster virus is caused by airborne droplets. It often affects pediatric patients. In adults, this type of disease resembles shingles, the nature of which is considered severe.

If we talk about herpes of the genital type, then it is caused by a virus of the second type. Genital herpes, the transmission routes of which are associated with direct contact with a sick person, occurs for a number of reasons. This is referred to.

Sexual contact in the form of vaginal, oral or anal transmission of the virus.
Contact between skins.
Transmission of the virus from mother to baby during the birth process.

Another question is how many days herpes is contagious. Close contact should be avoided for four to seven days until the pimples are covered with a crust. If the formed crust is torn off, then the microbes will become active again. Then the spreading virus will become dangerous for the environment for a few more. How long the disease will last depends on the patient himself and the measures he has taken.

Prevention of the appearance of herpes

It became known that herpes on the lips is a contagious disease. If it is not treated on time, serious complications can occur. This virus lives in almost every human body and for a long time it may not report itself in any way. But when the immune function is weakened, herpes is activated. Therefore, you need to know how you can prevent the development of the disease. To do this, you should follow a few simple but important recommendations.

Timely treatment of herpes on the lips or on other parts of the body. The period of infection lasts until the pimples are covered with a crust. For treatment, it is recommended to take antiviral agents, and smear the affected area with ointments based on acyclovir.
Avoid direct contact. The patient needs to give up kissing, touching and caress for about seven days. This is necessary so that the virus does not infect other people and does not spread further through the body.
Treatment of wounds with cotton swabs or a disk. After applying medicines, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water.
Use of personal items in the form of dishes, towels. During illness, you need to use separate items so as not to infect loved ones.
The use of the drug in the form of Miramistin and oral contraceptives with regular sexual intercourse.
Maintaining immune function. The herpes virus is activated if the body is severely weakened. To avoid a decrease in immune forces, it is necessary to take immunostimulating agents in the form of Anaferon, Ergoferon or Viferon.
Providing the body with adequate nutrition. It is especially important to think about this during exacerbations, when the body is susceptible to various infections. To do this, the patient needs to eat more vegetables and fruits, meat and fish dishes and cereals. As an additional therapy, you can take various vitamin complexes.
Compliance with personal hygiene. After the street, be sure to wash your hands with soap. Especially, such activities relate to young children, whose immune system is not yet fully formed.

A fairly common ailment is the "cold on the lips." About 90% of the world's population is infected with this unsafe disease. Therefore, many are concerned about one urgent question - is herpes on the lips contagious for others?

And if the answer is yes, then everyone is interested in at what stage of the development of the virus it is better to avoid communicating with an infected person and when herpes on the lips is not contagious.

In this article you will learn:

When the patient is contagious

To understand how many days herpes on the lips is contagious, you need to have a general idea of the virus and the phases of its development. Its active phase is especially dangerous, when infection of the surrounding people is most likely. It is known that the duration of the incubation period of the disease depends entirely on how strong the health and immunity of the sick person is.

In most cases, the development of herpes stops as early as 5-6 days after the incubation period. Everyone is interested in whether infected herpes on the lips is dangerous at this time.

Scientists have proven that only under the condition of an open and wet wound on the lips, a person is a danger to the people around him.

The rest of the period, infection is almost impossible. But there are exceptions when the virus shows its activity on the mucous membranes for a month. All this time it is worth being extremely careful and careful so as not to infect loved ones.

When the rashes are tightened with a crust on the lips and at a time when nothing leaks out of the watery blister, one can speak of an upcoming recovery.

Is a person without a rash contagious?

It is not necessary to think that a cold on the lips is contagious only when the patient has rashes. This assumption is deceptive because the virus itself can lurk in the body of an infected person for a long time and do not manifest itself. That is, by the appearance of a person it can be impossible to determine that he is contagious. In fact, herpes viprions find a place of localization in other organs and tissues of people.

Sometimes, with strong immunity, they are quickly destroyed, but throughout a person’s life, he is present in his body. There are cases when these dangerous microorganisms are found in saliva, tears or vaginal secretions and can be transmitted through close contact.

Human immunity is strong enough to cope with the herpes virus, but even that, in turn, is not considered weak and unstable. Therefore, in order to avoid infection, it is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene.

How long is herpes contagious

Due to the peculiarity of infection of this infectious disease, one should be wary not only in the acute phase. Undoubtedly, during the appearance of bubbles on the lips, a sick person becomes the most dangerous. Dried crusts indicate that the disease is receding, which means that the person becomes harmless. But all the subsequent time of the course of the disease, it is better for him and the people around him to be careful.

This behavior will help to avoid infection, because the disease can spread during its subsequent stages of development and can be transmitted at any time.

In essence, herpes ceases to be contagious after the patient's sores on the lips disappear. But caution is never excessive, and in the case of herpes in particular.

Methods to reduce the risk of infection

Despite the fact that it is quite easy to get herpes, there are rules that help delay or eliminate this unpleasant moment.

In order to prevent the transmission of infection from a sick person to a healthy person, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

Learn to wash your hands regularly to prevent the accumulation of microorganisms on them;
It is desirable to minimize contact with the sick;
Never try to use household items with anyone - one dish, one towel, and lipstick for girls;
Do not bring your body to exacerbation of chronic diseases;
Treat influenza and SARS in the initial stages;
Try to avoid hypothermia;
Try to avoid stressful situations;
Follow proper nutrition and daily routine;
Increase immunity;
First of all, you should take care of the culture of cleanliness and avoid casual sexual intercourse.

Behavior after infection

There are a number of rules by which an already infected person should try to exclude the possible infection of their loved ones. The more he listens to them, the less risk others have to become carriers of herpes.

For prevention, you should:

Pay special attention to your health and start treating herpes on the lips in a timely manner. The dangerous period is the time when ulcers are observed on the lips. All this time, the use of antiviral drugs is very important. After this time, you can switch to wound healing remedies for herpes.

For at least a week, you should forget about kissing and any other caresses when the mucous membranes are involved. This will prevent the entry of microbes in this way.

It is not advisable to use hands to treat wounds with ointments. Cotton buds work great for this.

It is important to wash your hands more often than usual. This will significantly reduce the risk of infecting others.
Please use your personal hygiene items. By the way, having developed such a habit, you can warn yourself against infection not only with herpes, but also with many other unpleasant diseases transmitted by household means.
It is necessary during the acute course of the disease to try to contact people as little as possible, trying to protect them from infection.

All these measures are only a preliminary warning against infecting others. Whether it happens or not depends on a lot of factors.

The main ways of infection with the herpes virus on the lips

The fluid of herpes vesicles contains a huge number of active microorganisms. With their break, a person becomes especially dangerous. At this point, the risk of infecting the surrounding people is too great. There is a lot of this dangerous virus.

A healthy person can become infected from a sick person in the following ways:

Through a handshake;
From touch;
During hugs and kisses;
Through mucous membranes and various fluids;
Due to microtrauma of the skin;
Through various subjects;
Airborne;
From mother to child;
From the medical staff when performing medical procedures.

Regarding the transmission of the virus from the mother of the child, it should be clarified that it is not transmitted through the placenta. Inheritance is also excluded. In this case, the airborne transmission route or contact is triggered.

From all this, the conclusion follows that herpes is dangerous, its transmission routes are extensive, it is transmitted to other people so easily and simply that practically no one is safe from infection. The only obstacle in its path can be a strong human immunity.

Virus infection through household items

Knowing how contagious herpes is on the lip can avoid the risk of infecting your surroundings. It is always much easier to prevent a disease than to cure it. This also applies to herpes. In the domestic way, this disease is transmitted much more often than in all other ways. In this case, the virus can lurk on household items for a long time. Sources of infection often become utensils, hygiene products.

It is very dangerous, for example, to use a poorly processed fork or spoon that an infected person has touched.

For young children, toys pose an immediate threat, because, due to their age, they try to taste everything. The risk of infection in all these cases is inevitable if before that things were in the hands of a person with herpes.

It is important that an antiviral agent and an ointment for herpes in people who are prone to this disease are always kept in the first aid kit. For any recurrence or primary infection with the virus, it is better to start treatment immediately. This will help you recover faster and avoid the possible risk of contracting herpes to your loved ones.

Is it possible to get herpes on the lips

The presence of herpes on the lips has not yet attracted anyone. Every year, thousands of people face this problem every day. It is not difficult to guess the reason - the disease is contagious and is transmitted too quickly. And since many people know very little about this disease and not everyone knows whether the virus is contagious to others, the disease continues to spread at a rapid pace.

The herpes virus has amazing abilities:

It has the highest resistance to all manifestations of the external environment;
He is not afraid of direct sunlight, temperature changes and immersion in water;
He can almost instantly be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one.

This knowledge suggests that contagious herpes on the lips during its acute phase is especially dangerous. In order for infection to occur, not only a kiss or a handshake is enough, but also ordinary hugs or being in the same room with the patient. The virus is especially active during contact of mucous membranes or in the presence of microtrauma in humans. In addition, the transmission of the disease by airborne droplets is possible. This path is even more serious and dangerous because a person may not even suspect from whom he contracted a “cold on the lips”.

It is known from statistical data that many people are direct carriers of the herpes simplex virus, which belongs to the first type. The periodicity of the outbreak of the disease in 20-40% of the population of the earth's planet is observed quite often. The word "simple" does not mean that the disease is really so simple, does not pose anything dangerous to people, does not require therapy and prevention of exacerbations.

In fact, herpes on the lips is a serious infectious viral disease that affects the cell nucleus and adversely affects not only the human skin, but also its nervous system.

This disease is not dormant, but most often herpes can lurk until the appropriate conditions arise for its reproduction and outbreaks with renewed vigor.
It should not be forgotten that during household contacts a patient with herpes is most dangerous to others during the phase of an exacerbation of the disease. Therefore, it is better to communicate with him less during such periods. Most often, herpes overtakes a person at a young age, but it is also quite common among the adult population.

Many people are interested in whether herpes is contagious, and do not even suspect that 95% of the world's population is carriers of the virus. The virus that provokes the development of various diseases, such as herpes simplex or shingles, has various protective mechanisms and the ability to spread very quickly. It is fairly easy to contract the virus, although there is nothing unusual about the transmission mechanisms.

Speaking about how you can get herpes, you can select different ways of transmitting the disease. Infection with herpes can occur as a result of direct contact with an infected person:

handshake;
kiss;
sexual intercourse;
sports;
fight, etc.

Shingles or another form of herpes can result simply from touching a sick person with a healthy person. In this case, the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, genitals, etc. are the source of entry of virus particles onto the body. Speaking about how not to get herpes, you need to tell a little about herpes itself. The virions of herpes simplex and its various manifestations, such as or herpes zoster, are highly resistant to the external environment, including the following conditions:

water environment;
temperature fluctuations;
exposure to ultraviolet.

It is clear that as a result of boiling, zoster or another type of virus dies quickly enough, but the virus lives on the surface of human skin or any household items for a long time. During all this time, a person runs the risk of becoming infected, as a result of which he will need certain treatment.

About domestic infection

There is nothing surprising in the fact that the second most common way of transmission and significance of herpes infection is the contact-household route, in which literally any object previously used by an infected person can act as a source of infection. Such an item can be:

clothes;
tableware;
personal hygiene products;
bed sheets;
household appliances and more.

It is clear that it is very easy to get infected in this way: regardless of the cleanliness of the hands, any touch of the mouth or nose leads to the fact that the mucus containing the virus is on the skin. In the future, this mucus may end up on the mucous membrane of a healthy person, as a result of which he will eventually develop and require appropriate treatment.

At the same time, it does not matter where this mucus was taken from and where it ended up as a result. That is, for example, the virus that causes shingles can easily adapt to the conditions of the lips or vagina, so the risk of contracting herpes is always quite high. However, if a small amount of virus particles penetrate the mucous membranes of a person with healthy immunity, the risk of infection is significantly reduced. In rare cases, the symptoms of herpes appear as a result of infection by airborne droplets. Most often, this happens when a person who needs treatment for herpes, especially a recurrence of the disease, coughs or sneezes next to a healthy person.

Herpes simplex and genital herpes

Simple is most often transmitted by contact and airborne droplets. You can become infected through damage to the skin, during a kiss or sexual intercourse, as well as in the process of working with infected material. In medical practice, it also happened that the symptoms of herpes simplex were transmitted from mother to unborn child through the placenta.

Symptoms of primary herpes in the form of rashes usually appear in the place where the virus entered the body. Most often, blisters form on the following organs:

lips;
nasal cavity;
buccal surface of the oral cavity;
mucous membranes of the eyes.

In childhood, treatment of acute ulcerative gingivostomatitis may also be required.

Genital herpes type 2 manifests itself in the form of rashes on the genitals and may be accompanied by the following diseases:

In men - prostatitis and herpetic urethritis.
In women - cervicitis and vulvovaginitis.

In the latter case, the symptoms of genital herpes may appear cyclically before the start of each menstrual period.

In the case of recurrent herpes, for which there is no proper treatment, a disseminated form of the disease can occur, in which rashes simultaneously appear on different parts of the skin and mucous membranes. In addition, herpes can be migratory, in which symptoms appear in a new location during each recurrence.

Shingles and chicken pox

Varicella zoster (Varicella zoster) is a herpes virus, immunity against which a person does not have at birth, so chicken pox (chickenpox) occurs in childhood. The form of the disease can be mild or severe, and its symptoms include:

general deterioration of well-being;
feverish state;
bubble rashes that appear on the skin for several days.

After the treatment of chickenpox ends, the zoster virus continues to remain in the human body throughout life. At the same time, if a person's immunity is sharply reduced, zoster can become active again, causing a disease such as shingles. In this case, the virus begins to develop in the ganglia of the nervous system.

Vesicles accompanying herpes zoster are usually located along the trigeminal and intercostal nerves, in some cases causing severe pain in patients caused by damage to the cells of the peripheral nervous system.

Shingles usually lasts about three to four weeks, after which it can recur no matter how effective the treatment was. Zoster, which causes shingles, is also dangerous because even after treatment is completed, a person may periodically experience severe pain, called postherpetic neuralgia. Most often, these symptoms are observed in old age. Herpes zoster is as contagious as the types of herpes described above.

Epstein-Barr virus and other types of virus

The discovery of the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes type 4 herpes, dates back to 1964. The origins of the study are the English scientist M. Epstein and his assistant I. Barr. Herpes type 4 significantly increases the chances of contracting various diseases, most often infectious mononucleosis and Burkitt's lymphoma:

Infectious mononucleosis (“kissing disease”) is most commonly transmitted through kissing, oral sex, shaking hands, and other forms of direct contact. In addition, they can be infected through infected objects. Symptoms appear after a month of incubation: fever, chills, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, enlargement of the spleen, liver and lymph nodes. Patients complain of headaches, pain when swallowing, weakness and sweating.
Burkitt's lymphoma is a malignant tumor that occurs regardless of age and place of residence, but is most often observed in children in Africa. The onset of the disease manifests itself as the appearance of a formation in the form of a tumor, which is localized in the lymph nodes, ovaries, jaws, adrenal glands or kidneys. The tumor grows rapidly, causing compression of adjacent organs and nerve endings, causing paralysis. Rapidly ulcerates and rapidly metastasizes.

Cytomegalovirus is a fairly common herpes infection that almost anyone can get infected with. This herpes is dangerous because the disease most often has no symptoms, so the carrier is dangerous to others, although he himself may not even be aware of his disease. Most often, the virus is transmitted sexually. In laboratory studies, cytomegalovirus is found in the following samples:

blood;
urine;
sperm;
saliva;
breast milk.

The risk of infection for the fetus in the womb is especially high, especially since there is a high probability of deformity. Also, this virus can cause infertility.

Herpes type 6 causes pseudorubella, also called three-day fever or roseola baby. This disease is most often diagnosed in children under two years of age. Symptoms of the disease:

High body temperature, reaching 40 °;
Signs of general intoxication of the body.

Types 7 and 8 of herpes viruses are currently not well understood. We can only say that type 7 herpes is observed in healthy people in saliva and skin rashes. The eighth type of virus is presumably associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as Kaposi's syndrome and some other types of tumors.

Many are interested in whether herpes is transmitted - a virus that managed to infect 95% of the inhabitants of the Earth and managed to remain absolutely invulnerable at the same time, has many defense mechanisms, as well as functions of surprisingly rapid spread. Thus, it is thanks to the way it is transmitted that the virus has managed to become a big problem for all people, regardless of their gender, age and skin color. True, this attacker did not come up with anything fundamentally new in the methods of his transition. Consider how herpes is transmitted.

Transfer mechanism

The process of transmission of the herpes simplex virus is carried out with the direct interaction of two people. It can be handshakes, hugs and kisses, as well as sports that require contact. In addition, sex or even a fight is a prerequisite for the exchange of the virus, the main thing is that a person who is sick with herpes touches a healthy fellow. Viral particles are brought directly to the surface of the patient's body from the mucous membranes, that is, from the nose, mouth and genitals. How is herpes transmitted on the lips?

About the virus

Here it is necessary to mention a little about the virus itself. The so-called virions of the elementary type are quite stable in the external environment, and they tolerate their stay quite well both in water and against the background of temperature changes and ultraviolet exposure. Of course, boiling them instantly kills them, but as for the surface of human skin, or all kinds of household appliances, the virus can stay on them for a very long time and can retain its pathogenicity. So, how herpes is transmitted is a rather topical issue for today.

Contact household method

It is not surprising that the second most important and, according to experts, the frequency of infection is considered to be the contact-household route. In this regard, absolutely any object that was used by a carrier of herpes can serve as a source of infection. For example, we are talking about dishes, clothes, towels, hygiene products, bedding, and indeed about anything.

Obviously, it is extremely difficult to avoid such infection. No matter how hard a person tries to wash his hands, as soon as he touches his lips or nose, and on his hands there are already elements of mucus with still dormant viral particles. And then all these substances go on a journey until they end up on the mucous surface of another individual. In this case, it absolutely does not matter what character these shells have at the so-called entrance or exit. In other words, viral microbes from the lips easily adapt to conditions, for example, the vagina, which leads to a relatively simple transfer of the labial virus to the genitals of a sex partner, as well as to infection. But this time, genital transmission is already taking place. In fairness, it should be said that if the total number of viral elements that have entered the mucous membranes is insignificant, and the immunity is in a healthy state, then the probability of infection is quite low. How is herpes transmitted?

In more rare situations, the herpes virus can be transmitted by airborne droplets. This can occur when the patient sneezes, coughs in extreme proximity to a healthy person. True, this method of transmission does not work so often.

Who is considered the most dangerous carrier of the virus?

You can get infected with this microbe from absolutely any person who is its carrier, and this can happen at any time.

It is a big mistake to believe that herpes in the body is active only during the period of exacerbation, when rashes appear on the lips or in the genital area. In reality, viral elements are formed in the body regularly, but they cause symptoms only when the immune system is weakened.

Relapse period

Be that as it may, a sick patient during a relapse is really very dangerous compared to a time when the symptoms of herpes are not so noticeable outwardly. With such an exacerbation, viral particles accumulate in those very transparent blisters, there are whole billions of them, which is much more than is generally contained in the entire human body during the latent phase. The rupture of these vesicles releases the virions and allows them to spread to a significant number of people. Therefore, it is so important to know how herpes is transmitted from person to person.

This should not be forgotten, first of all, by sexual partners. Oral sex in the event of any prerequisites for the recurrence of herpes on the lips is strictly prohibited. In this situation, it is not only likely, but also extremely possible for the virus to pass from the lips of one person to the genital area of another, and then the transformation of an unpleasant cold on the lips into a severe and spoiling normal life venereal disease.

A few words should also be emphasized separately about the infection of young children, for whom the main source of the virus is the mother, since it is she who most often contacts the baby in the first years of his life, and, unfortunately, it is unrealistic to avoid transmission of the virus with such a connection.

Now we know how herpes is transmitted. What else needs to be considered?

Who is most exposed to the virus?

According to their susceptibility to herpes, the world's population can be divided into two types. Representatives of the first type are the same 95% who are very susceptible to the virus. That is, if they are in contact with others throughout their lives, then they will certainly become infected with the virus.

People of the second type have a unique natural defense mechanism against this disease, which makes them practically immune to the disease. Unfortunately, at the moment, this mechanism has not yet been studied by scientists, and for this reason, physicians have not yet been able to create a universal form of protection. Therefore, how herpes is transmitted on the lips is the most common question.

What can contribute to the disease?

At certain stages, each patient from the first group may be more susceptible to infection with the virus than at other periods, for example:

What do the statistics say?

According to statistics, in the vast majority of situations, it is children who suffer from herpes infection. This is not a reason to think that they are more susceptible to the disease than adults. This is only a sign that after infection in childhood, when the body was not yet familiar with the virus at all, re-infection will occur much more easily. And after the formation of specific immunity, the virus will be blocked by the immune system at the most distant frontiers.

But the matter is not limited to the varieties of this disease of the first and second types, however, the methods of transmission in all cases are quite the same.

Methods of infection with various types of herpes

So how is herpes transmitted?

For most viruses, transmission is inherent in the same ways used by their elementary subspecies of the first and second types. This is primarily an airborne route. In this way, chickenpox, rubella, herpes zoster can be transmitted. How are other species transmitted? By direct contact with an infected patient, which is characteristic of cytomegalovirus.

Exceptions

True, there are exceptions. For example, for the herpes virus of the eighth type, which is capable of causing the formation of Kaposi's sarcoma, several methods of transmission are characteristic:

Finally

Be that as it may, the main means of transmission of herpes viruses from person to person is still the airborne route. Direct contact is also important. And it is in connection with this that at the moment scientists around the world are developing the most effective methods aimed at preventing and suppressing herpes infection.

How it is transmitted, now we know for sure.

After the onset of the first cold weather, many people are increasingly observed. Despite the prevalence of this disease, the vast majority knows nothing about how herpes is transmitted and how to protect themselves from this disease.

In addition, some have not even heard of the genital form of herpes, and even more so they have no idea what the relationship is between the various forms of this disease.

General idea of the disease

It is a viral disease, which is characterized by manifestation in the form of grouped. This disease is caused by two types of viruses, such as. Most often, people have a labial type of disease. The main symptom of this form of the disease is, which is often popularly called the "cold labium".

The second most common type of herpes is the genital form, which affects the genitals and the surrounding skin.

Basically, HSV-1 acts as a cause of the appearance of the face, eyes, and also the central nervous system. At the same time, HSV-2 is the cause of anogenital lesions.

Be that as it may, each type of virus can cause damage to one or another part of the human body. It is also worth noting that some types of herpes can affect various parts of the skin and mucous membranes.

Principle of virus transmission

In order for a person to become infected with the herpes virus, you need to come into direct contact with a person who is its direct carrier. Often, the interval between infection of the body and the first manifestations of the disease in the form of skin rashes ranges from a couple of days to a crescent.

Herpes can only be contracted through direct contact with a carrier of the virus. In order to prevent the possibility of infection, you should know the main ways of transmitting the disease:

with the general use of kitchen utensils and utensils;
through the use of a shared towel;
through dental hygiene products;
in the case of smoking one cigarette for two;
through the use of cosmetics (lipsticks, lip gloss) together with an infected person.

As for genital herpes, they can be contracted through sexual contact with its carrier. In addition, it should be remembered that there is a high probability of infection, even if the partner does not have any visible manifestations of the disease. To exclude the possibility of infection, it is recommended not to forget about the use of condoms, which reduces the risks by almost half.

According to some researchers, the labial form of the disease can be transmitted to a person through sexual contact, which will cause him to develop genital herpes. At the same time, according to other scientists, rashes on the genitals can be caused exclusively by the genital type of the disease.

In any case, with the manifestation of external symptoms of the disease, it is recommended to refrain from any kind of sexual intercourse. It is also worth excluding the possibility of transmission of infection at the time of contact with the mucous membrane of another person.

Ways of infection with other forms of the disease

Most of the other species are transmitted to humans in a similar way as the herpes simplex virus. These are ways like:

By air, as well as in contact with the mucous membrane of the carrier of the disease. Thus, you can get chickenpox, herpangina, and pseudorubella.
As a result direct contact with a carrier of the disease, which is especially true.

It should be noted, however, that there are exceptions. So, for the herpes virus type 8, which causes Kaposi's Sarcoma, the following forms of transmission are characteristic:

through the blood;
tissues of an infected person;
lymph.

Often, this form of the disease is transmitted as a result of the reusable use of syringes during group drug use, as well as through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

Theoretically, the same process is possible with blood transfusion, but today medicine does not know a single case of infection in this way.

There is also a contagious method of transmission through contact with a virus carrier. Due to the high concentration of virus pathogens in saliva during kissing, as well as when sharing utensils and sexual intercourse, there is a high risk of infection.

The sexually transmitted herpes virus type 8 causes Kaposi's sarcoma. In this situation, the risk is associated with an increased concentration of the virus in the secretion of the prostate and semen.

In addition, the virus is transmitted by the mother through the placenta, which in almost half of cases leads to miscarriages.

There is also a theory that the transmission of type 8 herpes virus from mother to child occurs as a result of the use of medical instruments during childbirth, which can damage the baby's skin, opening the way to infection with the virus.

Who is at increased risk of infection?

In terms of susceptibility to this virus, the world's population is divided into two groups. Almost 95% of the planet's population belongs to the first group. Such people are susceptible to the virus and upon contact with its carrier, they will certainly be infected.

The second group of people have a natural defense mechanism against the effects of the virus, which makes them completely immune to it. To date, this natural mechanism has not yet been fully studied, so it is not yet possible to create a universal medicine based on it.

According to statistics, children are at the highest risk of infection. People who need blood transfusions or organ transplants are also at high risk of becoming infected. In addition, members of the family in which the carrier of the disease lives, when using common dishes and kissing, have every chance of becoming infected.

Methods to prevent infection

So far, there are no unambiguously reliable methods for preventing infection with HSV viruses. At the heart of this problem lies the fact that most people who are carriers of the disease are not aware of their status. In addition, people who are aware of the fact that they are carriers of herpes may not care about steps to help prevent them from transmitting the disease to others.

It is worth noting that condom use can reduce the risk of HSV transmission. However, this method does not give a 100% guarantee. The infection can also be transmitted through contact with the patient's skin and kissing.

If taken daily, carriers of the virus can significantly reduce the risk of infecting others.

Now many major pharmaceutical companies are actively working on the development of vaccines aimed at combating HSV. At the moment, there is no pharmacological drug that makes it possible to overcome the virus or create a barrier for the body that will prevent the possibility of infection.