Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are characterized by painful blisters on the lip. The virus is dormant when there are no symptoms, and it can be contracted through skin-to-skin contact. There are two species of herpes simplex virus, with HSV-1 being responsible for cold sores and HSV-2 being associated with genital herpes.
Cold sores is an infection of the lip by the herpes simplex virus. It is characterized by inflammation of the affected area, followed by painful, fluid-filled blisters on the lip. People suffering from the disease carry the herpes simplex virus for life, and it is dormant when there are no symptoms. It’s also possible for people to carry the herpes simplex virus without ever experiencing symptoms.
The blisters caused by this type of herpes are commonly called fever blisters or cold sores, because they are more likely to appear when a person with herpes simplex already has an infection from another source, such as an upper respiratory tract infection. often accompanies a cold. An outbreak begins with tingling or redness of an area on the lips or on the border between the lips and the face. Subsequently, small round blisters form and remain for up to three weeks. Cold sores, as well as any herpes simplex infection, occurs through skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual or skin contact with the virus itself. Herpes simplex is most often contracted when the person carrying the virus is having an outbreak, which starts before the blisters appear.
Cold sores are often accompanied by herpes symptoms elsewhere on the face or mouth. If it affects both the face and mouth, the condition is called orofacial herpes. Herpes of the mouth can be called herpetic stomatitis. In addition to cold sores, herpetic stomatitis is characterized by gingivostomatitis, or inflammation of the cheeks and gums, as well as sores or lesions inside the mouth. Other possible symptoms include difficulty swallowing, pharyngitis or sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and glandular fever.
There are two species of herpes simplex virus. Herpes simplex virus I is most often responsible for cold sores, although cases have also been caused by herpes simplex virus II. Herpes simplex II virus is most often associated with genital herpes, which causes symptoms similar to cold sores, but on the genitals, and is transmitted through sexual contact. Both types of herpes can be contracted through oral-genital contact. However, if a person has a history of fever blisters caused by herpes simplex virus I, he or she has formed antibodies that prevent other infections, such as genital infections, caused by the same species of herpes simplex virus.
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