Herpes Simplex Cold Sores

Herpes simplex or cold sores is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the skin along with the nervous system of the body. These viruses produce small, painful fluid filled blisters that appear around the area of lips, mouth, and nose. Sometimes these blisters may appear on fingers or genital organs. This infection is also called as Orofacial infection and there are chances of this infection appearing three to four times within one year.

Herpes simplex cold sores are caused because of the herpes viruses. Through mouth these viruses enters the body and then attacks the nerve tissues. By attacking nerve cells, viruses start traveling from nervous system to ganglia. In the ganglia viruses lies dormant in epidermal cells and when get trigger becomes activate. This reactivation of the viruses may be triggers due to long exposure to sunlight, physical or emotional stress, fever, hormonal changes during pregnancy or menstruation period and some times due to certain food and drugs. Some times the reactivation period may be of 24 hours or it may take up to 3 to 5 days.

Common symptoms of infection are tingling, itching, and burning, sensation around lip or nose edges. Small-reddened area develops following formation of small blisters filled with fluid. Blisters may occur immediately after the prevalence of the symptoms. Many of the times, these small blisters may merge to form a longer one, as these enlarges ruptures, and leaks golden and sticky fluid that forms crusts. Often in uncomplicated cases these blisters out breaks and runs until it completes the course of three weeks. Blisters rarely leave any mark.

Seldom herpes zoster causes single blisters that give rise to facial lesions. Herpes zosters are chickenpox viruses. If person never had cold sores before or lesions occur on new position then it is mandatory to diagnose the viruses. If the viruses are herpes zoster then there, blisters near eye area can cause damage to cornea of eye. Therefore, diagnosis of the viruses is particularly important.

As initial and subsequent blisters of herpes simplex are filled with, the viruses and therefore these blisters are highly contagious until they get cures. These viruses can spread by touching the blisters or cold sores and other place of the body on the other hand in absence of lesions viral flaking can occurs. Therefore to prevent the spreading of viruses, person with orofacial lesions should wash there hands frequently especially after contact with sores. One should avoid kissing and have oral sex with person infected with orofacial lesions. To prevent babies and young children from infection person with orofacial lesions try to avoid kissing them.

Though these viruses need attention, they do not present any serious risk to general health. However, there is a danger involved in spreading infection to the eye as it may damage eye cornea. There are very few cases of brain or other parts of central nervous system infections due to the herpes simplex cold sores viruses. Therefore, though blister comes they are not much dangerous.