What is it?
Herpes Simplex is an infection caused by the virus called Herpes Simplex Virus. The virus is of two types. HSV1 and HSV2. Herpes Simplex causes sores, and rashes on face and genitals. The virus type 1 causes sores on the mouth, which are called cold sores. The second virus type causes genital herpes.
Is it treatable?
Once you get herpes virus, it never leaves your body. The only thing you can do is to get it treated whenever it shows up as sores with blisters. After treatment the virus goes back into dormancy, but does not get eliminated from body. Whenever it gets triggered again, it will show up as a sore.
What are the causes?
Herpes Simplex virus 1 is generally caught in childhood while the genital infection from HSV2 is caused by sexual contact in adulthood. Your partner may show no signs of having Herpes Simplex and may be unaware that they are the carriers. They will pass it on to you unknowingly.
What are the symptoms?
Herpes Simplex appears as sores with blisters. This disease recurs during the lifetime. Once you catch it, it never leaves your body, so you can have recurrences. Cold sores normally form around the mouth, while genital herpes shows up on the genitals.
Herpes is a silent disease. It shows up after some days of your catching it and the symptoms may be so slight that you may ignore them. The second time it will show up, it may be much more flared up. Between the recurrences you will not show any symptoms of herpes but you will pass it on to your partners. Similarly you may get it from your partners.