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Herpes Virus Infections

There are eight herpes viruses that cause infections in humans. Herpes viruses cause lifelong infections and cannot be cured, however, not all of them cause serious symptoms. Herpes viruses become latent in either nerve cells (oral and genital herpes and VZV) or immune cells and can thus cause flareups after initial outbreaks.

  1. Oral Herpes

    • Oral herpes, also known as cold sores, is caused by the virus HHV-1 (HSV-1). Cold sores cause a red rash along with fluid-filled blisters that break and then crust over; cold sores are contagious while they are active. There is also a prodrome associated with both oral and genital herpes, which is a burning or tingling feeling in the area before an outbreak.

    Genital Herpes

    • Genital herpes is caused by HHV-2 (HSV-2). Like HHV-1, it leads to a red rash with blisters. However, unlike HHV-1, it can also be transmitted in the absence of an outbreak, this is called asymptomatic viral shedding.

    VZV

    • Varicella-zoster virus (VZV or HHV-3) causes both chickenpox and shingles. Shingles is a secondary outbreak of the virus that is more painful than chickenpox, and its rash appears only along the nerve cell in which VZV became dormant. Shingles generally occurs in older people or those with weakened immune systems.

    EBV

    • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV or HHV-4) does not generally cause disease in children. However, in young adults it can sometimes lead to infectious mononucleosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is also associated with some cancers.

    Cytomegalovirus and Kaposi's Sarcoma

    • Cytomegalovirus (CMV, HHV-5) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8) are two herpes viruses that do not generally cause disease in healthy people. However, in people with weakened immune systems, CMV can lead to blindness, and Kaposi's sarcoma virus causes a skin cancer of the same name.

    Roseola

    • Roseola, a childhood illness, is caused by HHV-6 and HHV-7. According to the Mayo Clinic, roseola causes a rash as well as a potentially high fever as well as symptoms like fatigue, irritability, diarrhea and swollen eyelids and is contagious even if there is no rash.

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