Herpes Virus Symptoms

Herpes is actually a group of eight viruses, all belonging to a family known as herpesviridae; other members of this family cause disease in animals rather than humans. Members of this family of viruses all cause lifelong, incurable infections, but do not all necessarily cause disease. All herpes viruses go latent in either nerve or immune cells. Herpes viruses are numbered HHV-1 through HHV-8; the first three cause fairly similar symptoms, while the last eight cause a broader variety of symptoms.

Oral Herpes

• Oral herpes is generally caused by HHV-1 (also known as HSV-1), but is sometimes also caused by HHV-2 (HSV-2). HHV-1 is contracted through close contact with an active cold sore or sometimes through sharing things like glasses, dishes and towels, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with weakened immune systems may develop an infection with affected skin areas even in the absence of an outbreak. HHV-1 is one of the herpes viruses that goes latent in a nerve cell.

  As in other herpetic conditions, people with oral herpes experience prodrome, a series of symptoms that occur before an outbreak. This includes a burning or tingling in the area in which the cold sore will develop. Cold sores are blisters containing fluid around which a red area occurs. An outbreak of oral herpes generally lasts for a week or slightly more. For many people, the first outbreak is the worst and symptoms may improve or disappear over time.

Genital Herpes

• Most cases of genital herpes are caused by HHV-2 (HSV-2), but some are triggered by HHV-1, as in the event of oral-genital contact. Like HHV-1, HHV-2 can be contracted through close contact with a herpetic blister, through the use of shared articles, but also through contact with skin in the absence of an outbreak; this is called asymptomatic viral shedding and is one of the most common methods of transmission for HHV-2.

  As in oral herpes, people with genital herpes experience prodrome. After prodrome, blisters appear in the affected region (the region surrounding the nerve in which the virus has become latent), which can include the genitals and anus. According to the CDC, these blisters clear up in two to four weeks. A person experiencing an initial outbreak might also experience flu-like symptoms.

VZV

• Varicella-zoster virus, also known as HHV-3, is the virus that causes both chickenpox and shingles. During initial infection, the virus causes chickenpox, and then several years and even decades later, a recurrence leads to shingles; not everyone who has had chickenpox will develop shingles, but everyone who develops shingles had chickenpox at some point.

  According to the Mayo Clinic, chickenpox causes an itchy red rash as well as blisters, filled with fluid, which burst and then crust over. Other chickenpox symptoms include fever, headache, loss of appetite, irritability and malaise and dry cough.

  Shingles leads to pain that can be quite severe; this follows the path of the nerve in which VZV was latent and occurs on one side of the body. At some point after this pain starts, a red rash appears, as do fluid-filled blisters. These blisters open and crust over through the course of the outbreak.

  In some people, the pain of shingles lasts after the outbreak has cleared up. This is a condition known as postherpetic neuralgia, and the associated pain can be very intense and sometimes difficult to relieve.

Epstein-Barr

• Epstein-Barr Virus (HHV-4 or EBV) does not cause disease when contracted in youth, but can lead to infectious mononucleosis when contracted by young adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis include swollen lymph nodes, fever and sore throat; other possible, but rarer, symptoms include a swelling of the liver or spleen and possible effects on the heart and central nervous system.

  EBV is also linked to cancers, including Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, according to the National Institutes of Health. EBV also leads to hairy leukoplakia, an oral condition, in people who have HIV or AIDS.

Cytomegalovirus, Roseola and Kaposi's Sarcoma

• Like EBV, the human herpesviruses 5 through 8 become latent in cells of the immune system.

  Cytomegalovirus (CMV or HHV-5) is a common infection but does not cause disease in healthy people. However, according to the Directors of Health Promotion and Education, CMV can be passed from a pregnant woman to her child and cause developmental disabilities and, more rarely, other symptoms like lung, liver and blood problems, rash and swollen lymph glands. In people with advanced HIV or AIDS, CMV can cause retinitis, which can lead to blindness.

  HHV-6 and HHV-7 cause roseola, a common childhood illness. According to the Mayo Clinic, roseola causes symptoms like rash, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite and swollen eyelids.

  HHV-8 leads to Kaposi's sarcoma, a skin cancer that appears as purple lesions. Kaposi's sarcoma only appears in people with advanced HIV or AIDS, and among older men of Mediterranean heritage.