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Herpes simplex, often known simply as herpes, is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. [5] Herpes infections are categorized by the area of the body that is infected. The two major types of herpes are oral herpes and genital herpes, though other forms also exist. Oral herpes involves the face or mouth.
Herpetic gingivostomatitis is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The HSV is a double-stranded DNA virus categorised into two types; HSV-1 and HSV-2.HSV-1 is predominantly responsible for oral, facial and ocular infections whereas HSV-2 is responsible for most genital and cutaneous lower herpetic lesions.
About 90% of cases of herpes encephalitis are caused by herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), the same virus that causes cold sores. According to a 2006 estimate, 57% of American adults were infected with HSV-1, [ 3 ] which is spread through droplets, casual contact and sometimes sexual contact, though most infected people never have cold sores.
When looking at the most common causes of meningitis, 8.3% are due to herpes simplex virus. [8] HSV-2 specifically is the most common cause of meningitis in adults. [6] Herpesviral meningitis primarily affects people aged 35–40, the elderly, and women. [9] Between 20% and 50% of cases have clinical recurrences. [3]
There is a potential link between Alzheimer's disease and the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), which is a common cause for cold sores, a recent study suggests.
Herpes simplex viruses can affect areas of skin exposed to contact with an infected person. An example of this is herpetic whitlow, which is a herpes infection on the fingers; it was commonly found on dental surgeon's hands before the routine use of gloves when treating patients.