These are viruses from the same family, but it is not the case that having herpes labialis (cold sores) also predisposes you to genital herpes. This latter is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, and is usually more common in women than in men. The infection is manifested by small blisters, usually gathered in a “cluster” that may be accompanied by glandular swelling and pain. These rupture, leaving erosions that form a scab and heal spontaneously in 2-4 weeks (faster during recurrences), rarely giving rise to scarring.
The cold sores cause skin lesions around the mouth or on the mucous membrane inside. Infection with the virus occurs by direct contact with an infected person, or is mediated by contaminated objects, and usually occurs during childhood. After infection the virus migrates through the sensory nerve endings or the blood to the ganglia of the trigeminal nerve, where it sits latently, and by which it can later be reactivated by various stimuli (psycho-physical stress, menstruation, excessive sun exposure, immune deficiencies, etc.). When it is reactivated, it travels to the skin using the same pathway, and gives rise to recurring lesions. The primary treatment used is antiviral drugs.
