What is The Herpes Virus?

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by admin on April 20, 2009

There are two main strains of the Herpes virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2.  Either of these strains can cause genital herpes.

Herpes Facts You Need to Know

1 in 9 adults in USA currently has the virus that can cause genital herpes.

More than 90% of the people who are infected with genital herpes don’t even realise they have the virus in the first place.

The symptoms of herpes can vary widely from person to person. Some people will suffer sores, rashes or blisters. This can occur on the genitals, thighs, back, chest or even hands.

There is currently no cure for Herpes – but if diagnosed your doctor can give you anti-viral treatments to keep it under control.

Most people who have a slight rash do not even realise they are infected.

Herpes spreads easily as it spreads best when no symptoms are obvious.

Condoms can reduce the risk of spreading Herpes – but it does not guarantee to completely prevent it.

{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

shannon May 3, 2009 at 10:48 pm

omg!!! this iz serious an i kno i dnt want to get this im only 12 years old so i really dnt want to have to deal wit this

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john June 13, 2009 at 2:50 am

Just make sure you protect yourself. If your about to “do it” wear a condom! Use common sense too, if something seems wrong it probably is.

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celia June 22, 2009 at 4:20 pm

Oh my this is realy serious , i never want to have this or any othre diease that looks likes . i wont be able to live with myself .

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macy June 25, 2009 at 6:48 pm

its crazy… people do crazy things and in the end this is what they get… so i mean i feel bad but those were your actions!

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natasha June 29, 2009 at 9:51 pm

Sometimes they are not peoples actions, my friend was raped and ended up with herpes, don’t put all people down you don’t know the story

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David July 1, 2009 at 6:54 am

hey… i had sex with an ex and a week later found out she was tested positive but it was unactive but i wore a condom and i dont know what the first signs are anyone who knows alot about it or has it please email me and tell me everything you know… your help is appreciated..

deathdontwantme@live.com

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vanessa September 1, 2009 at 4:55 pm

you cant judge everybody for having this…sometimes its not their fault. the problem is the ppl who know they have it but still sleep with a bunch of ppl and not tell them. whats worse is the picture looks like a small childs mouth…very sad.

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stephanie October 17, 2009 at 9:26 am

and actually. a lot of people are born with the virus. just in case people are ignorant. oh yes. they are!

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Lilith October 26, 2009 at 8:39 pm

If you don’t protect yourself, any STD can come to you. Don’t be fooled into thinking that it won’t happen to you. Be careful who you have sexual contact with. Know them well. Trust them. Don’t fall into the one night stand ordeals. It only leads to touble. I know people who do have STDs, and it’s not a laughing matter. If anything, use a condom.

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L'anti-poupounne October 27, 2009 at 8:15 pm

Sweet ^^ xD

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doodle November 26, 2009 at 9:26 pm

HSV-1 and 2 don’t only cause genital herpes!! They can also cause other rashes and they can be transmitted by saliva too… Just because you’ve got herpes doesn’t mean you’re “weird” or anything, maybe you just dank from the same glass then your cousin!!!
You’re making such a big fuss about it… herpes doesn’t make you an outcast of society!

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Bianca November 30, 2009 at 7:43 pm

Getting herpes is a very serious problem. Its something you have to live with everyday. Is a one night stand worth it?

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Andy December 26, 2009 at 3:30 am

I get cold sores once or twice a year due to the HSV-1 strand of the virus and although it is no where near as serious as the picture above it still happens and it happens to a very large percentage of people. I have had the virus since I was young because my mother has it and also gets cold sores and unfortunately it was passed to me from birth, but in no way shape or form does it make me less of a person or an outcast. I have it and since I know that I am a carrier I make sure to protect others from contracting the strand I carry and protect myself from contracting the other strand, HSV-2, that causes genital herpes. Although I am fully aware that the strands can very easily cross over. In the end it is all about educating yourself on the matter and in this day and age it is not very difficult to do so, whether you want to learn about the risks of this or other risks that you should look out for. Some people are born with it and some people get it later on in life, but if people educate themselves on the matter and use common sense then things like this will become more and more avoidable. Good luck to all and just remember to be smart and be safe and hopfully no harm will come your way.

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Shante Golden December 28, 2009 at 7:32 pm

Having herpes does not make you a bad person nor mean that you were out having one night stands..i was with my ex for 6 months and used condoms everytime yet he still gave it to me…Regardless of how respectable of a person you are all it takes is ONETIME and you too could be infected..I don’t regret ontracting the virus because if i hadn’t i probable wouln’t be with my fiance who also has herpes and in turn we wouldn’t have our wonderfull son. I’ve had herpes going on 3 years and the first outbreak was horrible to the point that i had to go to the hospital and take narcotics but since then its fine. Please don’t be so quick to judge because just as easily as i got it that could be you next..

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Jeff December 29, 2009 at 5:31 am

I got herpes from someone I was living with and supporting for three years. I get a few sores on my you know what about once a year. The public perception of this thing is way off. I have never had a one night stand in my life I am too tender hearted for that. I have had two sexual partners total how about you? Condoms do not protect you from herpes!

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Girl February 1, 2010 at 10:41 pm

Hey hey hey. Honestly half of you are going on omg i never want to get this this is disgusting blah blah blah well fuck sakes honestly have some respect so many people have this disease and its not their fault me being one of them people like you who are ignorent and show no compassion or anything and say all this kind of stuff make it worse for us, do you think we wanted this? i dont think so oh and for the people saying its all your own fault, it wasnt my fault i got this! I had a partner who i loved so much and i was 100 percent loyal and i thought he was too aparently i was wrong we used condoms all the time no matter what we both insisted on it. I got herpes off my partner of 3 years wearing a condom showing no symtoms who i loved dearly so how dare you when u say its ”Their” fault. Its rude ignorent and hurtful because you dont have it and you have no idea what its really like.

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kate bricks March 23, 2010 at 11:36 pm

hi guys. im getting texted today for herpes.
and hey im no slut. i have a boyfirned i have been with for a while now.
last sunday i gave him head. we both didnt know he was a carrier of it. he never had any symptoms but he passed it to me. my mouth looks just like the picture up top. but a few less uslers.
herpes is not a bad thing, what doesnt kill you wil only make you stonger.

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MandyS. March 24, 2010 at 6:44 am

I agree, as someone who always practiced safe sex and was with a partner who “tested negative” (or so I was told the entire year or so we were dating) I was diagnosed with Hsv-2. I havent had my first outbreak and the thought of it happening is very scary but it goes to show it can happen to anyone, no matter how safe you think you are. It doesnt make you a bad person, you mightve made one bad decision, but nowdays, who doesnt?? For anyone who doesnt have herpes but wants to look down on those who do before they even hear their stories, well, Karma is a BIG B****

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lala March 26, 2010 at 2:24 am

this is so disgusting to see. It’s not even funny. There is this gurl at my skool that has something like that on her lips and its purple (ugh). I dont really kno if it IS herpes, but her lips look like that.

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lala March 26, 2010 at 2:27 am

omg!!! im srry if i offended ppl!!!
i didnt kno that u could get it still using a condom.
im really srry

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Angel Inahuazo June 2, 2010 at 3:28 pm

this is wrong

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Geena Morales June 15, 2010 at 6:03 am

i have herpes and its not so bad as long as you stay calm and learn the FACTS, not that excessive bullshit about how sunlight brings on an outbreak. My boyfriend cheated on me and gave it to me so for whoever said “those were your actions” a few comments down, you can go fuck yourself. A lot of herpes, including mine, don’t look anything like the intense picture above. It can be just a small bump that feels hot and uncomfortable. Being safe (or just not having sex) is the only way to protect yourself. You shouldn’t rely on your partner, girls, to bring the condom. You should bring your own and even if you think you know the person is “clean”, you might be wrong. Shit, they might not even know they have anything. And that’s neither person’s fault. dealing with this is scary, especially when you’re young. I was diagnosed when i was 18 the same day my dog died. Its crushing and i had a breakdown as expected, but, as an optimist i try to look at the glass as half full, now i tell everyone that i’m sexually active with about my condition and they respect and appreciate me all the more for being forward and keeping their bodies from this disease (i also get laid without feeling guilty that i’m ruining someone’s life). i could never sleep with someone and not tell them, it would be doing the same thing to someone else as my boyfriend did to me. People are fucked up so you have to have your own back in these situations. Even if you love your boyfriend and he loves you, herpes loves no one. You don’t want to end up with something worse. And believe me, STDs get much worse. Herpes is pretty common considering 49% of sexually active people in the US are diagnosed with it. For people who have herpes, it is really not the end of the world. If you felt how i felt when i found out, you must be scared and feeling pretty unattractive but in reality it doesn’t change anything besides the fact that you have to man up and tell your future sexual partners (oh yes you will have sex again) that you have something you need to tell them before those drinks get ordered. I find it easier over the phone or through text messages, giving both parties time to consider the situation at hand privately instead of half naked and tipsy in an already paid for motel…Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely not cool beans, you don’t want this uncomfortable problem who has it’s own agenda that really doesn’t match your booty-call schedule, so remember, as many boring times as you’ve heard it BE SAFE. its better than having herpes!

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Geena Morales June 15, 2010 at 6:10 am

if anyone ever needs to just ask a few questions or just bitch and moan, i answer my email all the time :)
heytherealma@gmail.com

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anonymous June 29, 2010 at 5:22 pm

I have herpes and when I found out i was devistated plus I was pregnant with my first child. All I was worried bout was my unborn child and weather he would get it but thank god he didn’t. I take valtrex it helps in not having to many lesions (outbreaks). You can’t get rid of it so you just learn to live with it.

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anonymous June 29, 2010 at 5:24 pm

you can not only get this by having sex you can get this by sitting on a toilet. kissing and so forth.

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Andy White June 30, 2010 at 5:14 pm

Wow thats tuff stuff. Wear a bag, and buckle up!

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