Genital herpes is a highly contagious infection that is caused by a virus. Genital herpes causes fluid-filled blisters or sores on the skin of the genitals (areas on or around the vagina or penis). The infection can also cause blisters on the anal opening, on the buttocks or thighs, inside the vagina on the cervix, or in the urinary tract of women and men.

The infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two different types of HSV: herpes simplex type 1 virus (HSV-1) and herpes simplex type 2 virus (HSV-2). HSV-2 is usually the cause of genital herpes, but it can also be caused by HSV-1. HSV-1 is the virus that is associated with oral herpes (cold sores on the mouth).

Genital herpes is a very common virus. In the US, 45 million people or one out of every five adolescents and adults, ages 12 and older, are infected with HSV-2.

Transmission of the Virus

HSV is transmitted from skin-to-skin contact, especially in places that are warm and moist. The virus enters your body through a cut or opening in the skin or through mucous membranes—the moist inner lining of the urinary tract (in the vaginal area) or the digestive system that includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and anus. Then the virus stays in the nerve cells of your body. The virus is still there, even if you don’t have any symptoms or signs of genital herpes. Genital herpes is a chronic, life-long infection with symptoms that will come and go (be active and inactive) throughout your life.

Risks Associated With Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is considered a sexually transmitted disease. You can spread the virus by touching, kissing, or having sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Several factors lead to the spread of the HSV virus:

  • Having sexual contact with someone who has an outbreak of the virus.
    • An outbreak means that the sexual partner has visible sores or blisters in the genital area. These sores give off (or shed) some of the virus that can infect the other partner. The virus is most contagious when the sores are visible and open, and producing a discharge (leaking).
  • Having sexual contact with someone who has genital herpes, even if he or she does not have any obvious sores.

  • According to the American Social Health Association , there are no documented cases where someone caught genital herpes by touching objects such as a toilet seat or in a bathtub. The virus does not live long on these types of surfaces.

Symptoms of Genital Herpes

Once someone is infected, symptoms begin to appear within 2-20 days. The first outbreak is usually the most severe and lasts the longest.

Early symptoms can last 2-3 weeks and can include:

  • Discomfort (itching, burning, or pain) in the genital or anal area
  • Discharge from the vagina
  • Feeling of pressure in the abdomen

  • As the infection progresses, sores start to form on the part of the body where the virus was contracted. Sores look like small red bumps, but then they progress and become more like blisters and painful open sores. After a few days, the sores form a scab-like outer layer and then fall off

  • The subsequent outbreaks you experience will most likely not be as severe. Your outbreaks will usually last a week to 10 days.