Herpes is a highly contagious disease that is caught by direct contact with someone's herpes sore, by the kiss, in the bathroom, by the clothing or even by the air, in the case of herpes zoster.
Contact with an infected object such as a glass, cutlery, towels of the infected person is also highly contagious at the stage when the wound is filled with blisters with liquid. However, the newly infected individual may take years to develop the first symptoms of herpes.
How to get cold sores
The cold sore virus is transmitted:
- by the kiss;
- by the glass;
- use of the same cutlery;
- use of the same towel;
- use of the same clothing.
Or any other object that has been used previously by the contaminated individual and has not yet been disinfected.
An individual who has genital herpes and who put their genital organ in the mouth of another individual may contaminate it, and the latter develop the cold sores. Learn all about herpes in the mouth here.
How Genital Herpes Gets
The genital herpes virus is transmitted:
- through direct contact with the wound of the contaminated individual;
- when using objects or clothing that have come into contact with the wound;
- intimate contact;
- wearing the same underwear;
- in the bathroom, when sitting on the toilet;
- when using the same towel.
Or any other object that has been used previously by the contaminated individual and has not yet been disinfected. Learn more about genital herpes.
How to get shingles
The herpes zoster virus is transmitted:
- Through contact with the secretions of the contaminated individual;
- By air, it is enough for the individual with chickenpox to cough or breathe near him. If he has had chicken pox before, he may develop herpes.
Herpes zoster is the reactivation of chicken pox virus that manifests itself at a specific site, when there is a drop in the immune system. Generally, the individual is infected with the chickenpox virus in childhood and develops chicken pox. When this is exposed to someone with chickenpox, the virus can be reactivated and it can develop herpes. More details of herpes zoster here.
Treatment for herpes
Treatment for herpes is done with the use of an ointment or anti-viral tablet such as Zovirax, which should be used when the wound appears and for approximately 7-10 days. During this period it is recommended that the individual has all his objects of personal use separated from the others, to avoid the contagion of the disease.