How many types of herpes are there?

Hello! Regarding herpes, many people feel scared as soon as they hear the word. In fact, it's a very large family of viruses, and you might have heard of, or even been infected by, many of its members. Let's talk about this topic in plain language.

You can imagine "herpes viruses" as a large family, with various "relatives" living within it. Although all these relatives share the "herpes" surname, their temperaments and preferred dwelling places are quite different. Currently, there are 8 main types known to infect humans. Let's pick a few of the most common ones to discuss:

1. Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) - The Two Most 'Famous' Siblings

This is what most people commonly refer to as "herpes," and it's mainly divided into two types: Type 1 and Type 2.

• Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1)

  • Nickname: 'Cold sores', 'fever blisters'
  • Preferred Location: Primarily likes to reside around the mouth, such as on the lips or under the nose. So, those small blisters that appear at the corner of many people's mouths after stress, late nights, colds, or fevers are often its handiwork.
  • How it Spreads: Very common. Many people are infected during childhood through kissing, sharing utensils, etc. It doesn't necessarily stay only on the mouth; occasionally, it can appear elsewhere.

• Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2)

  • Preferred Location: Primarily likes to reside in the genital area.
  • How it Spreads: Typically considered a sexually transmitted infection.
  • Important Note: The distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 is becoming increasingly blurred. This means that Type 1 can also cause genital herpes, and Type 2 can also appear on the mouth. Therefore, you cannot solely determine the type based on the location of the blisters.

Commonality of these two siblings: Once infected, the virus 'lies dormant' in the nerves of your body and cannot be eradicated for life. When your immunity is lowered (e.g., due to illness, fatigue, mental stress), it may emerge and cause trouble, leading to recurrence.

2. Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) - Making its 'Presence Felt' Twice in a Lifetime

This virus is quite special; it appears in two different forms at different stages of your life.

• First Appearance: Chickenpox
  • This usually occurs in childhood, known as 'getting chickenpox'. Many itchy small blisters will appear all over the body. It's highly contagious, but generally, once you've had it, you gain lifelong immunity.
• Second Appearance: Shingles
  • Nicknames: 'Girdle dragon', 'snake rash' (colloquial terms for shingles)
  • After chickenpox resolves, the virus doesn't disappear. Instead, like the two HSV siblings, it quietly hides in your nerves. Decades later, when you get older and your immunity declines, it may 'awaken' and emerge along a nerve, causing a painful and itchy rash on one side of your body (e.g., waist, chest, face). This pain is very severe and is its main characteristic.

3. Other Less 'Famous' Family Members

Besides the ones mentioned above, there are other 'relatives' in the herpes family, and you might have heard of the diseases they cause:

• Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV / HHV-4): Its most famous 'work' is 'infectious mononucleosis', also known as 'mono' or 'the kissing disease'. It's transmitted through saliva, and its symptoms are somewhat like a severe cold, including fever, sore throat, and extreme fatigue.
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV / HHV-5): For most healthy individuals, infection causes no symptoms or only mild cold-like symptoms. However, for immunocompromised individuals (such as AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients) and fetuses in pregnant women, it can be a significant problem.
• Human Herpesvirus 6 and 7 (HHV-6, HHV-7): These two are the culprits behind 'roseola infantum' in infants and young children. This is when a baby experiences a high fever for a few days, and then after the fever subsides, a rash appears on their body.
• Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8): Also known as Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV), it's relatively rare and primarily associated with a type of skin cancer called 'Kaposi's Sarcoma', usually occurring in individuals with severely compromised immune systems.

In Summary

• Herpes is a large family of viruses, not a single disease.
• The most common are cold sores (oral herpes simplex) and shingles (herpes zoster).
• The vast majority of people have been infected with at least one type of herpes virus, often without even knowing it.
• The biggest characteristic of this family is 'lifelong latency, opportunistic recurrence'. Therefore, maintaining good lifestyle habits and boosting your immunity is the best way to coexist peacefully with them.