Herpes and How it Affects Us

Image via The Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Herpes is a disease that can be transmitted through sexual contact, oral contact, and also direct contact to other people. This virus is caused by the herpes simplex virus 1 or 2. In terms of HPV-1, this virus is specifically transmitted through mouth-to-mouth contact and usually appears in the form of blisters around the lips and/or mouth. The transmitting of the virus can also come from a pregnant woman, causing her newborn to be infected with the virus, which in severe cases can become fatal for the baby. In other cases, blisters may occur on the tongue or on the host's face, creating a sense of itchiness, burning, or soreness. If the blisters are disrupted, they tend to pop and release a puss-like fluid that can also infect other recipients if they come in contact with the contagious "juices." Although genital herpes, or HPV-2, is incurable, the race to find a useful vaccine to treat the HPV-1 virus has scientists racing to find answers. But in most recent years, the answer was found, and scientists from HHMI were able to create a vaccine in order to prevent the infection of the disease. Overall, this highly contagious disease affects many in the US alone, and comes from the acts of unprotected sexual intercourse, and the sharing of objects such as water bottles, lip glosses, food utensils, etc. The risks of the HPV virus can go from a mild blister to fatality.