Are Cold Sores Contagious?
by Thomas
Morva
zone3
When someone gets a cold sore or knows someone who has one, it is
not uncommon for them to wonder, “Are cold sores contagious?” And
the answer to this question is yes, cold sores are contagious in more ways
than one. The herpes simplex virus that usually causes cold sores is
easily spread--even if the infected person does not have an active cold
sore.
Cold sores are contagious, and the HSV-1 virus that causes cold sores
is present in an estimated 80% of the population. Most people are
infected by HSV-1 at an early age, usually by the time they are five years
old. Once the virus infects an individual, it will remain in that
person’s body forever. Though HSV-1 is latent or dormant for much of
the time, it is still present in the body. The virus is usually
present near the person’s mouth, but it can spread all over the
body. It is important to understand that an infected person can
spread HSV-1 to others even while not currently experiencing an
outbreak.
One of the most common ways that HSV-1 is spread is through an object
an infected person used, like a toothbrush or tube of lip balm. If
particles of the HSV-1 virus are transferred to an object and it is used
by someone else, that person runs a strong risk of infection.
People are most likely to become infected by HSV-1 by exposure to
someone with a cold sore. A cold sore goes through several phases
before it disappears. The tingle stage is the first. At this
point, the cold sore has not yet formed, but the virus has been
reactivated. The risk of spreading the virus increases at this time,
but the risk is highest when the sore is in the weeping stage. This
is when the sore bursts open and expels a clear liquid. Even during
the crusting stage, when the sore is scabbed over, the risk of infection
is greater than normal.
It is important to note that HSV-1 can not only spread between people,
but also to different parts of the infected person’s body. Herpetic
whitlow, the HSV-1 infection of the fingers is particularly painful.
People must be sure to wash their hands thoroughly when they have a cold
sore to prevent the spread of HSV-1.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cold Sores provides detailed information about the cause of cold
sores, as well as treatment, home remedies, curious, and answers to
frequently-asked questions, such as “Are cold sores contagious?” For more
information go to http://www.e-coldsores.com/ and/or
visit our affiliate site at http://www.original-content.net/.
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