Let’s talk about herpes because you probably have it.
Don’t start denying it, 70-90% of the population is positive for carrying HSV-1 and that is just one variation of the virus. But how did you catch it?
Many people think herpes is purely an STD (sexually transmitted disease) but that’s not true. Yes, it’s usually transmitted via mucous membranes but that can be just as well your mouth. Did your mom ever kiss you on the mouth as a kid? Ever spat on a tissue to clean something off your face? Congratulations, that’s how you got it.
Of course, it’s not the only way, of course, it can be transmitted sexually. But don’t break up with your partner because you suddenly have genital herpes and think they gave it to you. Why? Because herpes is a pretty mean virus. It hides.
When the herpes virus has successfully entered the body, it likes to use neurons (cells of your nervous system) as a host. Those neurons don’t have MHC on their surface (click here to read why that’s so important) so the body’s immune cells don’t notice something is wrong. @suesa
The herpes virus can stay inside a neuron for a long, long time. Decades even! It just sits around inside the cell’s nucleus and does absolutely nothing. Until something causes it to start its replication cycle, be it extreme stress or a suppressed immune system (after an organ transplant for example).
Then, the herpes virus prevents the cell from killing itself (= apoptosis), inhibits the immune system’s reaction and generally shuts off the cell’s own protein production. The result is a visible herpes outbreak. The blisters that can be seen on a patient’s skin contain a plethora of viruses, just waiting to be transferred to another host.
Don’t kiss someone who has a visible herpes blister. Don’t kiss someone if you have a herpes blister. And avoid oral sex too, please.
The variety of herpes viruses is huge. Did you know chickenpox is technically herpes? It’s also called varicella and can, just as any other herpes virus, hide in your body and come back as a nasty disease, especially when you’re already over 50.
Kissing disease (infectious mononucleosis)? It’s caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, also known as human herpesvirus 4. Many are infected as children without symptoms but the virus is suspected to cause Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
So is there a cure? A treatment? A vaccine?
Well … yes and no.
Just as HIV, herpes is not a simple disease, especially because there is more than one form.
Obviously, you can just avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms, but that might not always protect you.
Medication like Acyclovir can be used as a therapy during a herpes outbreak and is usually given to pregnant women with a fresh herpes infection. Why? Because if the child is infected during birth, there is a 50% chance it will die horribly.
There is a vaccination against chickenpox and I recommend it to everyone who didn’t have the disease as a child. Considering that the virus will persist, even when the symptoms have vanished, I’d even recommend it for children but that’s a personal choice. I was vaccinated against it when I turned 16 because a chickenpox infection is something really nasty to have when you’re older.
And for the rest?
Well … Good luck.
Source:
Lecture “Herpesviruses” by Professor Friedrich Grässer
Picture taken from pixabay.com, sketch by me
Got a scientific topic which you want to see as a story? Leave me a comment!
You want to support scientists on Steemit? You are a scientist on Steemit? Join the #steemSTEM channel on steemit.chat and connect with us!
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Great article
I've been going through your content during past few days and I'm always learning something new. We need more content creators like you :D. Seems like this herpes issue is going to be pretty hard to avoid, is it just fine not to worry about it too much or should I be wary?
no ideea what to avoid prefer to have fun :)))
And the third time I'm trying to comment this....
There isn't much you can do. Avoid kissing and (oral) sex with people who have visible blisters. If you didn't have it as a child, get vaccinated against chickenpox. That's basically it.
Thanks a lot for the dedication for those of us who don't read read all the other comments :P
Oh no! The "and the third time" remark was referring to the fact that steemit failed to send the comment several times. I was frustrated with the platform, not you!
:)) better than other posibilities .
This is one of those really unfair facts of nature. I have a couple of family members that at some point were undergoing a sort of life crisis, and on top of that they had to deal with the mother of all sudden herpes flare outs that seemingly came out of nowhere (they didn't even know they had it, must have been dormant for decades).
Literally, to add injury to insult... :-(
Herpes Zoster, i think you are referring to, AKA Shingles.
Can I ask this question? So if you had chickenpox does that mean you have the herpes virus in your body?
Chicken pox is caused by Human Herpes Virus Type 3, also known as the varicella-zoster virus. There are eight herpes subtypes that each have different health implications - classically, type 1 & 2 are sexually transmitted but types 4 and 5 (which are the causes of good ol' fashion mono can be transmitted through saliva). When you're infected with the virus as a child (chickenpox) your body will develop immunity to it and the virus will retreat into the nerve cells in your back. Each of these nerve cells supply the sensation to bands of skin called "dermatomes" that warp around your torso and chest. Later in life the virus can reactivate in times of stress or depressed immunity and travel away to the ends of these nerves close to the surface of the skin where they erupt into painful blistering lesions we call zoster, or Shingles. The band-like pattern the lesions appear on indicates which spinal nerve the virus was hiding in. By the way, there's a vaccine for shingles that may be given to adults over 60 years old and some over 50, and you don't need to have a history of chicken pox or shingles to receive it.
One kind of herpes virus, yes. There are several.
is not just around the mouth ?
Nope
Hey good post :)
The steemster will give you as simple explanation. A doctor told me that stress produces the outbreak. The stress effects the body in such a way that it is more vulnerable. He also said if you eat a certain type of healthy diet to maintain your immune system, then you will NEVER have an outbreak even under stress.
" But don’t break up with your partner because you suddenly have genital herpes and think they gave it to you. "
Wish I knew this before killing my ex
lol... thats not fair at all
Thanks for the article. No one ever really talks about Herpes unless they have it or are forced because their partner has it. Super insightful.
I usually don't click on STD themed articles, but this one really got my attention. The extended dormancy was something new to me. What a double whammy for it to be triggered during an extreme episode in life. As if life didn't kick ya' down the steps already.
I still remember the sweet day when this one girl told me to come over so she could give me her pies.
It was a good day though, didn't get any pie.
You could say their his pies now ;)
That's right. I'm a man, I don't need herpies. I can have hispies! Or as the fancy professsors say, hispes.
This seriously stirred everything I hold within...
(Did you know chickenpox is technically herpes? It’s also called varicella and can, just as any other herpes virus, hide in your body and come back as a nasty disease, especially when you’re already over 50)
I won't lie I held my breath when I read those words until you cleared me with being vaccinated! Lol. Thank you for the science lesson :)
Every time I learn a little more science, I'm more amazed that anyone's alive at all.
So the disease and character of the work is very dangerous and the nature of this virus can imitate or disguise itself like white blood cells (leukocytes), so when he clamped the white blood cell stem cells, then naturally. Killer cells in the human immune system, can not detect the presence of this dangerous virus. Maybe likes to play internet smile.
So naturally, and now the HIV virus is hard to detect and there is no medicine in the medical world that can kill this deadly virus that can cause the human immune system to drop dramatically. The character of this virus works uniquely and mysteriously. And mostly in patients who have a dangerous lifestyle. Like drug users, unhealthy sex actors are both very free from homosexuals and heterosexuals
and basically god has created the human body since it was first created, has an immune system. Then as humans progress and move away from the path of life that God commands, eventually this kind of disease arises that weakens the human immune system. So in fact if the human immune system is strong and intelligent to detect all types of viruses, surely many diseases that can be cured automatically against patients infected with this virus. thanks @suesa has shared a very good theme
Please don't bring god into this.
God has herpes too if we were created in his image.........they had to come from somewhere on the 1st outbreak.
I apologize yes @suesa
I think I read somewhere that most koalas have the clap too. Maybe it was Last Week Tonight, IDK.
Nothing wrong with a few pleasure bumps
As long as your immune system is fine, yes. Nasty things happen to the immunocompromised.
no!! but then she gave me depression!! LoL
God we need to protect all of us. Nothing else we can do. It is our most important health in life. Thank you for sharing.
i guess this virus is not much harmful proven yet... isn't it ??
Several herpes viruses are capable of killing you
The herpes virus is not just a sexual agent. It spreads diseases through a variety of ways. There is a misconception among people that sexual promiscuity spreads through disease.
Congratulations on understanding the post
Nope, unfortunately not always transmitted this way but is a possibility.. thanks for the interesting article.
@suesa for president... you did great justice to this ... since herpes can live in ones body for a long time, can one actually pass it to another person without actually having the symptoms of herpes? Or is it only passed when it has started manifesting itself?
Not every symptom has to be so obvious that one notices it so yeah, in theory someone could pass on herpes without even knowing they're infected themselves.
Hmmmm.... that sounds scary. Thanks for sharing
Those dirty little cold-sores you would get as a kid. Its amazing that we haven't found a way to rid our self of herpes as a population. It's crazy to think that science has done so much in regards to certain diseases and yet so little (real or perceived) in dealing with other diseases.
It's incurable right?
Yes. Treatable but not curable
It's incurable right?
yeah its incurable you can treat the symptoms but the disease stays
Problem is, it's very difficult to trust anyone in todays times. I read most porn actors and actresses have herpes.
So do you, most likely.
@suesa When you say 70-90% have herpes do you mean World Wide or in some specific Country?
The statistics I used came from Germany, WHO says that 67% of the population (worldwide) is infected with HSV-1. As that's not the only herpes virus, the overall percentage is probably higher and fits the 70-90%
So when those bullies at school told me my mom gave me herpes they may have been telling the truth ... good to know.
Technically, yes
No one is safe! NoOooOooOOoOooooo!!
Superb Information, which every person should be aware !!! Thnx for sharing such Useful Info!!! Great Work & Post!!
Informative post. Thank you.
The virus "herpes" also has strong connections with Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.
A year ago I was suffered from chickenpox and I had to away from my studies for almost 20 days and it hampered me a lot cause that year was my final year of my higher studies. It took almost 20 days to recover from it completely!
I was so weak that I could not eat nearly anything. Everytime my mom fed me I vomited them all. Oh God! I don't wish to have it anymore! Terrible experience
What are the symptoms of herpes and how many are suffering from it. Is it dangerous
.
Actually... Went to this place called Planned Parenthood, and did this thing called getting tested... and I do not have herpes. #gettested
They probably tested you for one single strain :) I never said which kind of herpes you have.
As I said above, even chickenpox is technically herpes.
I confess, the first line is very clickbait-y, the whole article is. I usually don't do that but I wanted to this time :D
Yeah, technicalities. I meant I didn't have type 1 or 2. The pox, everyone gets.
Some doctors believe that one day EVERYONE will have herpes (sexually active people, I mean) because most people do not show symptoms and the virus can not be diagnosed if you don't have symptoms. Therefore, people can live their whole lives thinking they're STD free (and having unprotected sex because of this) and spreading it without knowing. The stigma is so so SO ridiculous and uncalled for. It literally does nothing to you health wise. You'll get some blisters if you show symptoms but that's it.
Some doctors believe that one day EVERYONE will have herpes (sexually active people, I mean) because most people do not show symptoms and the virus can not be diagnosed if you don't have symptoms. Therefore, people can live their whole lives thinking they're STD free (and having unprotected sex because of this) and spreading it without knowing. The stigma is so so SO ridiculous and uncalled for. It literally does nothing to you health wise. You'll get some blisters if you show symptoms but that's it.
One needs to be careful these days, a lots of diseases here and there. Thanks for the post.
This is spot on .. herpes can transmitted in other ways than just sexually !!
Ohhh..that's looking nice,you got a great talent that you are using in Steemit that actually its pays you ... I think you will get success . May God bless you !!!!👍
Thanks for the spam.
What the FUCK is the FUCKING problem? You talk as if this is a problem. Ooooh, wow, 90% has it. OK, but this is because THEY HAVE FUCKING HAD SEX! Get it? DON'T HAVE SEX and you won't have a problem, you promiscuous fucking coons.
It's like saying "I have this or that disease because I jump into trashcans and bathe in the shit." DON'T FUCKING JUMP INTO TRASH CANS AND BATHE IN CRAP!
Fuck off.
Dude, deep breaths.
Herpes isn't just transmitted through sex, that was exactly the point.
You did read the article right?
I am a carrier because I used to drink from my parents cups as a kid. You never know what will happen in this world...
But we can predict that you have ZERO Chill factor.
Good sir/miss, are you upset because you have herpes or.. because you haven't got herpes, at least yet?
Awww, dude where does all the anger come from? We can help. Read the post again, the point was that sex is not the only thing transmitting it.
Also comparing sex with jumping into trash cans is pretty rude to me, don't tell me trash cans are bad!
Trash cans keep our streets clean.
Maybe it says something about his choice in partners
Way to stand up and scream I have herpies! I am sorry you feel your mate was a trashcan, someone always picks up sloppy seconds at some point.