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What Year Did People Start Recognizing Cold Sores?

Herpes is one of the most common viral diseases in the world. Herpes simplex is the virus that causes cold sores. The majority of the population has been exposed to the herpes simplex virus. The herpes virus can infect any area of human skin as well as the nervous system.

  1. Ancient Greece

    • Ancient Greek physicians recognized herpes as a disease in the 4th or 5th century B.C. The word herpes means "to creep" in Greek.

    Shakespeare

    • In Shakespeare classic "Romeo and Juliet," cold sores are mentioned. Shakespeare speculated about whether cold sores are infectious or not.

    19th Century

    • In 1893, Jean Baptiste Emile Vidal proved that cold sores were an infectious condition.

    20th Century

    • In the early 1940s, researchers discovered that herpes is a virus. Researchers discovered that herpes is not only a condition that causes cold sores, but that it also infects the central nervous system.

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