How Contagious is Herpes

Herpes is a virus that causes a serious infection in the body. That infection manifests itself through the formation of open sores and blisters during an outbreak.  Most people understand that any type of virus can be passed from one person to another, especially when it is in its active stage. But, Herpes is different because, unlike other viruses, it never completely leaves the body.  Even if a person experiences no outbreak of sores for years, the virus is still hiding in the body. This means that others can contract it even when a patient is not exhibiting any outward sign of the disease.

The Herpes Simplex Virus comes in two main forms: one that causes oral sores and blisters around the lips and mouth (Herpes Simplex I) and one that causes the same sores and blisters in the genital area (Herpes Simplex II). Both are equally contagious, although Herpes Simplex II can only be passed to another through intimate or sexual contact.

Both herpes virus strains are usually only passed from one person to another through skin to skin contact.  Secondary contact through an inanimate object like a phone, fork, cup, etc. is possible but extremely rare.  The reason is simple: it is the human body that keeps the virus alive and it does not last long once it strays from its human host.

What does that mean exactly? Well, about 99% of the time, it is impossible to contract herpes by drinking from someone else’s cup, sitting on a toilet they have previously used or even using a telephone they were speaking on. As long as several minutes have passed since their last use, the odds are good that any leftover virus has already died.

Now, if you take a bite from their fork immediately after they used it, then conceivably, yes, the virus can be passed on to you, but the contact ahs to be imemdiate.

When talking about oral herpes, the odds of passing it to a friend or family member other than during an active outbreak is rare and even then you would need to kiss them or share a lipstick or chap stick while the blisters are noticeable on the lips.

Consider this: it has been estimated that 90% of the population already has the Herpes Simplex I virus, so although it is contagious, the odds are good that you will never pass it along to anyone else who does not have it.

Now, the story is a little different when talking about Herpes Simplex II, or genital herpes.  This highly contagious disease can be passed to another through close intimate contact like anal, oral or traditional intercourse.  The most contagious time of the disease is of course during an active outbreak of blisters, when transmission is almost guaranteed.

But, it should be noted that as many as one in six herpes patients can transmit the disease even while it is in its dormant or asymptomatic phase. This is due to something called viral shedding.  This is a time when the virus begins to multiply within the body (with no symptoms present) and can be easily passed to another. Since there is no way to tell when this viral shedding is occurring, those with genital herpes should always wear a condom when having sexual intercourse, and avoid other intimate contact with partners with herpes.

Another note to consider: many women experience deep a vaginal blisters that they do not know are there, which means they could be in the middle of an active outbreak and not even know it, which can put her partner at a greater risk of contracting the disease, even when a condom is worn.

So, what does all of this mean?  Basically, herpes is a very contagious disease which requires its victims to take precautions to protect those they come in contact with whether or not they are experiencing any noticeable symptoms.

Pregnant women too, are usually advised to have a C-section instead of a vaginal delivery to ensure that the baby does not contract the disease during birth.

In addition to abstaining from sexual or close intimate contact during an outbreak, there are ointments and medications which can be used to help lesson the number of attacks experienced and help protect the patient form passing on the infection to others. Many people have also tried a variety of homeopathic remedies to kill of the virus, but it should be noted that these remedies seem to work, there is no evidence that it actually rids the body of the herpes virus, but rather, only sends it into a dormant stage.

For more information on how contagious herpes is, be sure to talk with your doctor about all of the things you must know, both for your own health, but for the safety of those who love.

HERPES SIMPLEX 1

Herpes simplex, is a virus that attacks the human body.  There are two types of the virus and they are distinguished as herpes simplex one or HSV-1 and herpes simplex two or HSV-2.  Both types of the herpes virus can occur anywhere on the body; but, as a rule they tend to stick to their own territory.  HSV-2 generally attacks below the waist and causes infections known as genital herpes.  HSV-1 infections tend to occur above the waist and usually occur around the mouth area manifesting as cold sores or fever blisters.  Herpes simplex type one can also be referred to as oral herpes, mouth herpes, or the more scientific herpes simplex labialis.  

Just as genital herpes usually starts with an initial outbreak and continues with recurrent outbreaks, oral herpes mimics the same time table.  A person infected with herpes simplex one can expect an initial painful outbreak followed by recurrent outbreaks in the same location.  There is no set time line for reoccurrence.  The recurrent outbreaks can happen as infrequently as one or two times a year or as often as 4 or 5 times a year.

The first sign or symptom a person with herpes simplex one is likely to experience is a burning or tingling at the location where the blisters will appear.  This is the same precursor for genital herpes.  The burning or tingling around the mouth can start a couple of hours or days before the actual blisters area.  The next symptom is that the area will become red and swollen with some pain.  Finally, the blister will form on top of the red area of your mouth.  The blisters will fill with fluid and eventually erupt and drain. This whole process will last about two or three days.  The resulting sore will become scabbed and take up to ten days to fully heal.  In the meantime, they sores will be dry and crusty and will probably itch quite a bit.  It is best to touch them as little as possible; picking the scabs can be quite painful and delay the healing process.  The good news is that they should not leave any scars behind. 

Herpes simplex 1 basically has two phases: the primary outbreak and the recurrent outbreaks.  Most people infected with herpes simplex one contract the virus as a child.  The only good news is that not all people who contract the virus have a primary outbreak.  For those who do experience a primary outbreak of herpes simplex 1 it is quite painful and can be debilitating.  Blisters can form around the mouth, on the lips, and inside of the mouth.  The blister can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as fever and inflamed glands.  Also, a person experiencing a primary outbreak can suffer from bleeding gums.  These symptoms can last for several days.  They are followed by the scabbing of the sores until they heal completely and the skin returns to its normal state which can take two to three weeks in a primary outbreak. 

Still, the skin of the affected area can remain painful to the touch for up to six weeks after the primary outbreak.  The recurrent outbreaks are less severe than the primary episode.  Basically, after a primary episode, the virus travels up the affected nerve cells to the ganglion where is will lay dormant. 

The virus can become active again due to stress, illness that compromises the immune system, or for other unknown reasons.  When it is called back to active duty, it travels down the nerve pathway to its original site of occurrence causing blisters and painful sores.  The recurrent outbreaks are not as long lasting or as painful as the primary outbreak, if a person even had a primary outbreak.

Herpes simplex 1 is a very contagious virus.  It can be spread from an infected person to one not infected by kissing or other close contact with the infected area.  People with ulcerated sores are at the most contagious stage of the outbreak; but, even someone who does not have visible sores can still transmit the virus to others.  The virus can be transmitted through shedding skin even if there are no visible sores. 

Also, the herpes simplex 1 virus can be transferred from one person to another through infected saliva.  Many claims have been made that you can "catch" the virus from using the same towel as an infected person or eating and drinking from the same plate or cup.  However, these are just "old wives' tales" and the virus is nearly impossible to transmit except through direct contact with infected skin or saliva. 

While cold sores are thought to be fairly benign, they can have more serious complications.  Excessive sores or pain around the mouth can cause a person to limit their food and beverage intake which could lead to a serious case of dehydration.  Other risks include the virus being spread to the fingers or eyes by touching the infected area with your fingers.  Keep the infected area clean and finger free.

Can You Donate Blood If You Have Herpes

Giving blood these days can be a tricky endeavor.  Not just anyone can donate blood.  In an attempt to make the blood supply as safe as possible there have been hundreds of restrictions put into place, denying many the opportunity to give blood. For instance, those who suffer with certain contagious diseases are barred from donating blood as are people who have lived in certain areas of the world during specific time periods (or for a certain length of time). Even a woman who has been raped or sexually abused is required to stop giving blood for at least one year after the attack.

So, what about herpes?  If you suffer with either Herpes Simplex I Virus (the kind that causes mouth sores) or Herpes Simplex II Virus (otherwise called genital herpes), can you give blood under current Red Cross and FDA guidelines.  The answer is yes – under certain circumstances.

Before we discuss the regulations regarding blood donation for the herpes patient, let’s first look at the three types of blood donors in the United States.

1. The Volunteer Donor:  A volunteer donor is someone who freely donates their blood with no monetary or other benefits in mind. They simply want to offer help when needed.  This is where the vast majority of the blood supply comes from.  A volunteer donor is required to answer 90 very short questions in order to be able to donate their blood to any clinic, hospital or blood donation center.  Answering wrong to any of those questions could cause their donation to be denied. The trouble is, not everyone answers these questions truthfully (either by accident or on purpose), and this has caused some breeches in blood safety levels in recent years.
2. The Replacement Donor:  this is someone who donates their blood to be used for themselves or someone they know (like a friend or family member). The rules and regulations regarding this type of donation are a bit slacker than general volunteer donations, since the recipient knows exactly where the blood is coming form – and from whom.   Plus if they are giving blood for their own use it really does not matter what other conditions they suffer with since their system is already being harmed by it.
3. The Professional Donor. This is a donor who actually sells their blood for monetary gain. Since the rules regarding these types of donations vary form facility to facility, the safety of these donations may sometimes be questionable.

So, why did we need to talk about the types of blood donors? Well, depending on the type of donor you are the rules for accepting or denying your blood donation may vary. For instance, a Volunteer donor facility may deny your donation if you are currently undergoing an active herpes attack; but not deny your donation if you are a replacement donor and are building up a blood supply for an upcoming surgery on yourself.

Now, let’s talk about when and why a herpes patient may be denied the ability to donate blood at a certain time or with a certain agency.
Although there are no laws requiring them to do so, it is a general practice that most blood centers across the United States follow a 'multi layer' safety protocol to determine eligibility of donors in order to secure the safest blood donations possible.  This includes:

• Screening individually,
• Lab test,
• Donation exclusion confidentially,
• Cheking donor records.

When it comes to herpes patient donations, the American Red Cross and FDA suggest that blood donations be deferred for one month after an active outbreak of the virus.  They also recommend that a primary outbreak (a person’s very first and strongest outbreak) be the cause of a temporary denial during the outbreak since the virus can be transferred in the blood during that first herpes attack.  Subsequent attacks, however, do not formally require a deferment, although one is suggested for about a month.

Another thing to consider if you suffer with herpes is how you feel.  If you are feeling especially run down, tired or sick you should not donate blood since the stress on the immune system during this time could trigger a painful attack. While this will not harm the blood you are donating, it could make your life a bit uncomfortable for a few weeks.

Donating blood is a wonderful gift; and one that does not have to be denied you just because of your herpes diagnosis.  You should, however, be sure to answer any questions about your outbreak status truthfully when asked and avoid giving blood during an attack or when you are not feeling well, both for the safety of those receiving your blood in the future and your own well being.