Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is highly contagious, but it is not transmitted through the air like cold and flu viruses. You could be in a room full of people with active herpes outbreaks and walk right through without a hitch.
Herpes typically spreads through physical contact (by kissing, touching, or being sexually intimate) with someone who has an active case of HSV-1 (cold sores) or HSV-2 (genital herpes). It's contracted by coming into contact with the fluids from open sores. For example, someone touches a cold sore and then touches you with the fluid still on their fingers.
You can re-infect another part of your body this way, so it's essential to maintain hygiene, especially during outbreaks.
You can contract the herpes virus from an infected sex partner who does not have a visible sore or may not realize they are contagious during viral shedding.
It may interest you to know that 50% of genital herpes cases are caused by contamination from cold sores through oral sex, and, most of the time, it is a lack of knowledge that causes the disease to spread.
Can Herpes Spread to Other Parts of My Body?
Herpes tends to reappear in the exact location you were first infected. However, herpes can relocate from one area of the body to another, which is not typical, but it can happen. When this occurs, it's called Disseminated Herpes and is considered a complication of the Herpes Simplex Virus.
Having contracted genital herpes implies that you have an infection of the nerve roots along the base of your spine (nerve roots L4, L5, and S1) that manage the rectal area, buttocks, and parts of the thigh. Because these infected nerves control other areas, you can experience outbreaks at any of them, even if they are not the original transmission site. However, genital herpes usually remains below the waist.
Nerves impacted by cold sores (HSV-1) are located in your spine in your neck area, specifically nerve root C-5. HSV-1 usually remains confined to the oral area above the waist. However, HSV-1 can be transmitted to the genitals during oral sex. HSV-1 doesn't become HSV-2. It remains HSV-1, but it can now flare up in the genital area.
Although it occurs only occasionally, HSV-1 and HSV-2 can also appear elsewhere on or in your body, which is more common among individuals who are immunocompromised. While the virus may be transferred from one part of your body to another by reinfection, this could be a sign of a severe condition called Disseminated Herpes (mentioned earlier). Disseminated herpes occurs when the virus has spread and settled in other nerve ganglia, resulting in unusual symptoms in different parts of the body.
Note: Anytime you experience any unusual symptoms, please see your doctor.
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