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Are Cold Sores the Same Virus As Genital Herpes?

Herpes is an extremely common virus, affecting over 90 percent of Americans, according to HerpesOnline.org (Reference 1). Genital herpes and cold sores are usually caused by different strains of the virus, but each strain can affect either the genitals or the face.

  1. Types

    • Cold sores and genital herpes are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Cold sores, however, are most often due to the herpes simplex 1 strain (HSV-1) whereas genital herpes is usually caused by the herpes simplex 2 strain (HSV-2), according to HerpesOnline.org (Reference 1).

    Spread

    • Both herpes simplex 1 and 2 can be transferred to other areas of the body, so people with a cold sore could give their partner genital herpes of the HSV-1 type during oral sex. Similarly, HSV-2 can be transferred from the genitals to the mouth, according to Herpes-Coldsores.com (Reference 2).

    Symptoms

    • The symptoms of cold sores and genital herpes are very similar and usually include red, sensitive skin and bumps or blisters (Reference 3). However, some people with herpes never show any symptoms.

    Recommendations

    • The herpes virus is highly contagious and incurable, so anyone experiencing an outbreak of either cold sores or genital herpes should refrain from skin-to-skin contact in the affected area.

    Considerations

    • According to HerpesOnline.org, it's also possible to spread herpes even when there are no noticeable symptoms (Reference 1), which may help explain why the virus is so widespread.

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