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- Herpes simplex can cause a viral skin condition which when symptomatic is called cold sores (on the face), or 'herpes' on the genitals.
- As many as one in three adults have the virus that can cause genital herpes.
- 80% of people who host herpes simplex virus don't know they have the virus because they have very mild symptoms or none at all.
- Unless you have symptoms there is no reliable diagnostic test for herpes simplex virus.
- 75% of people who have genital herpes get it from people who are entirely unaware that they have HSV-1 or HSV-2 themselves.
- The emotional impact of being diagnosed with genital herpes is often much more significant than the physical symptoms themselves.
- Facial herpes, also known as cold sores (HSV-1), is commonly transmitted to the genitals through oral to genital contact. Up to 50% of genital herpes is caused by the facial cold sore type (HSV-1) of herpes simplex.
- There is effective treatment available if symptoms are problematic.
- Daily medication, known as suppressive therapy, can prevent recurrences and reduce the risk of transmission to partners.
- Anyone who hosts the virus (whether they have symptoms or not) can pass the virus on with no symptoms present - this is called asymptomatic shedding. Asymptomatic shedding occurs a very small percentage of the time.
- The most likely outcome of getting the herpes simplex virus is that you will never have symptoms of genital herpes and therefore be unaware that you have the virus.
- Using condoms reduces the risk of passing on the herpes virus, but doesn't completely eliminate it.
- Having genital herpes is not associated with causing any cancers.
About Herpes