Most people know that herpes is an STD. What most don’t know is that there are more than 100 strains of the herpes virus, but so far, only eight can infect humans. The two common ones are herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
HSV-1 is commonly associated with sores in the mouth, around the mouth, on the lips, or on the neck. These sores, resulting from oral herpes, are usually referred to as cold sores or fever blisters. HSV-1 is more common than HSV-2; it affects approximately 50%-80% of the United States population. Most people get HSV-1 at a young age from sharing utensils, water bottles and such. Most people with the virus display no symptoms for years.
While HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes, it can cause genital herpes. It is rare but it can cause genital herpes if the virus is somehow transmitted to the genital area. It can also show up on other areas if the virus gets in through an open cut.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
HSV-2 usually causes sores and outbreaks in the genital area, resulting in genital herpes. It is less common than HSV-1, approximately 11% of the United States population has HSV-2. While HSV-2 mainly affects the genital area, it can still cause outbreaks on or near the mouth resulting in oral herpes.
Sores from HSV-2 mostly show up on the penis, scrotum, anus, butt, inner thighs, vagina, vulva, and cervix.
How HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be transmitted
Both herpes strains are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Complete penetration during sexual intercourse is not needed for the virus transmission. It can also be spread without the presence of semen. Transmission is more likely to occur during an outbreak of the virus.
You can also get genital herpes if you touch your lips during an oral herpes outbreak and then your genital area without first washing your hands, and vice-versa. Also, you can spread the virus to other parts of the body through touching an area with sores and then an area with an open cut. HSV-1 prefers to live on areas near the mouth and HSV-2 prefers to live on areas near the genitals, but in rare cases they can cause outbreaks in other areas on the body.
For example, if a person with an HSV-1 oral sore performs oral sex on a person, they can transmit the HSV-1 strain that will result in genital herpes. And if a person performs oral sex on someone with an HSV-2 genital sore, they can get the HSV-2 strain that will result in oral herpes.
The effectiveness of condoms in preventing the spread of the virus is not entirely certain due to the skin-to-skin contact transmission. But wearing a condom will lower the risk of transmission compared to having unprotected sexual intercourse. Both strains are more contagious when sores are present, especially if they are open sores.
The virus cannot be transmitted through hugging, coughing, sneezing, holding hands, or toilet seats since it dies at a fast rate once it’s outside the body.
“Oral & Genital Herpes.” Learn, Planned Parenthood, https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/herpes.
Images by Mia Harvey, Charles Deluvio, and Ian Dooley from Unsplash.
