|  | Conditions Treatments | Herpes

Contagious Stages of a Cold Sore

Herpes simplex virus Type 1 is a contagious sore that usually appears on the patient's lips. If the fluid in the cold sore comes in contact with another part of the body, that body part will develop the same infection; there is no cure for cold sores, so all one can do is seek comfort from painkillers and antiviral medication.

  1. Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1

    • The cold sore or fever blister is actually the sign of an infection that has been caused by Herpes simplex virus Type 1, or HSV-1. These sores are contagious at every stage. During an outbreak, the sufferer has to be careful not to spread the virus; this means no kissing or sharing of anything that touches the mouth (utensils, food, cosmetics or towels).

    Stages

    • Each stage has its own name and symptoms. The first stage is the "tingling" stage; the second stage is the "blister" stage; the third is the "weeping" stage; the fourth is the "scabbing" stage and the fifth stage is the "healing" stage. Each stage's name is descriptive of either a sign or symptom of cold sores. A cold sore can last from seven to 12 days.

    Signs

    • The sufferer notices an itching or tingling sensation; a red, swollen spot will soon form. After one or two days, he enters the "blister" stage, which lasts for two days. The blisters will break open ("weeping" stage) and the fluid will leak out; this is the most contagious stage of a cold sore since the fluid contains millions of viruses, which can infect another person. The blister will become a red sore that will then turn gray. After the weeping stage has ended, the "scabbing" stage begins, where the cold sore will form a scab. This stage lasts for one to two days. Once the final scab has fallen off, the sufferer enters the "healing" stage where the blister site returns to normal.

    Infection

    • HSV-1 virus comes from the same family of viruses that cause HSV-2, or genital herpes. HSV-1 can infect other parts of the body, such as the fingers or genitals. HSV-1 is transmitted from person to person, usually through sharing cosmetics, kissing, sharing food or utensils. Approximately eight out of every 10 people carries the HSV-1 virus in their bodies; they create antibodies to fight the virus, but not all of the viruses are killed off by the antibodies.

    Dormancy and Activation

    • The HSV-1 virus is activated when the sufferer's immune system is fighting another illness; when this happens, the sufferer notices he is developing another cold sore. The HSV-1 virus can also be activated when the sufferer is under a high level of stress, such as emotional stress. The HSV-1 virus is opportunistic; that is, it waits until the body is preoccupied by fighting other illnesses or dealing with an outside cause of stress; when the body's defenses go down, the virus activates in the nerve cells---this is why sufferers notice they get a cold sore in the same spot every time.

Herpes - Related Articles