How Is Herpes Transmitted

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During the times of breakouts, when the virus of the genital herpes is active, it can be transmitted. For some individuals the active virus shows up as herpes blisters. This can be on the buttocks, anal area, the genitals, the thighs or in the mouth. Some individuals will have no apparent signs but when the virus is in the active state it may be on the skin or in the fluids of the body that originate from the vagina, penis or rectal area and then others will be susceptible.

Skin in other areas of the body have a protection called keratin that fights against almost everything except the most extreme conditions. As a strong, waxy substance, keratin wards off the virus of herpes just like it does water. If the skin has a cut for instance and the seal of the keratin is broken, the virus can take hold through entrance of the cut. Any place on the body where the skin is thin like the eye or lining of the mouth or the genital area it is easier for the virus to attack.

Please remember, it is possible for the herpes virus to be in the active state while the person has no visible signs of an outbreak. This accounts for as much as 70 percent of first time infections when it comes to genital herpes. Viral shedding is the medical term for this.

In most cases, genital herpes is spread through sexual encounters. Other ways are possible but not very probable. In general transmission takes moisture, heat-producing contact between individuals and friction of the genital skin area. A sore on the penis can infect a vagina with herpes simplex. It is not necessary to transmit genital herpes without copulation and it is not necessary to have visible sores.

Oral sex can also transmit the virus from the infected person to their partner by mouth to vagina or mouth to penis, penis to anus, finger to penis, etc. All that is really necessary is that the infection combined with moisture and heat in some kind of physical contact.

Contact sports do meet these specific requirements. Sexual activity is not the criteria, merely the right conditions of contact. Sports like rugby, wrestling and other types of contact sports make the vulnerable individual an unsuspecting host to being infected with the herpes virus.