What’s Herpes 1?

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Herpes 1, also called oral herpes or HSV-1, is a common virus often responsible for sores on the mouth and face. While it can often be avoided, there is no cure for this condition. Symptoms can be managed through a combination of topical and oral medications. Many people confuse HSV-1 with the similar herpes virus 2, but the two differ in terms of where on the body they tend to occur. Additionally, having oral herpes can predispose a person to other diseases, including dementia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of herpes 1 include painful, fluid-filled lesions called cold sores or fever blisters on the mucous membranes of the affected area, usually the lips and mouth. Less commonly, people get injuries to other parts of the face, including the eyes. The blisters are usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and inflammation in the affected area. Some people also have a fever, feel nauseous or dizzy, and have a sore throat, but this is much less common.

Diffusion and prevalence

All types of herpes are usually spread through close physical interaction. Even when a carrier shows no symptoms, they can still spread the virus to others, but transmission rates appear to increase when active. Although many people associate herpes with sex, it can also be spread through shared drug paraphernalia or even childbirth. In such cases, it can be fatal for the child, due to the immature immune system of the children. Sharing personal products, such as toothbrushes, can also spread cold sores 1.

It is estimated that over 60% of Americans carry some form of herpes by their teens. Once a person gets the virus, they will always carry it, even if the symptoms won’t always be present. Instead, the person will go through cycles of dormancy and outbreaks. The frequency of outbreaks depends on the person. Because downtime can last for years, many carriers are unaware that they have HSV-1.

Prevention and treatment

Those with herpes 1 can take several steps to avoid spreading it to others, including frequent hand washing with soap and warm water during an outbreak; avoid close contact or sexual contact with other people when symptoms are present; and don’t share things that may have touched active areas. Having HSV-1 doesn’t give a person complete immunity from HSV-2, but it can reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus, because the immune system already recognizes one form of the virus and can act more quickly to stop the other. Many people get cold sores when they are very young, so adults with cold sores should be especially careful when they come into contact with children.

Anyone showing symptoms should see a doctor right away for the best course of action. There is no cure for herpes 1, although there are ways to avoid spreading it and to manage symptoms during outbreaks. Most people use a combination of topical and oral pain relievers and antiviral medications.
Related conditions
The herpes simplex virus comes in two forms, HSV-1 and HSV-2, also known as genital herpes. They are very similar strains of the same virus and the main difference is the region of the body that each strain tends to target. Though each can appear anywhere on the body; in general, herpes 1 causes symptoms to appear on the face, lips, or mouth, while herpes 2 usually occurs on or around the genitals.

There is growing evidence that HSV-1 can contribute to many other diseases. Related to it is herpetic whitlow, an infection of the fingers, toes or cuticles; as well as keratitis, an eye infection. This condition has also been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia, particularly in people with a certain gene allele. The virus appears to weaken the nervous system, increasing the risk of developing these conditions.

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