An oral or genital herpes outbreak will
occur on a person that has been infected with the herpes simplex virus. More information
can be found genital herpes stages article here.
The frequency of an outbreak on a person depends on important factors that are
related to the immune system, length of time, and site of preference. These are
key indicators to an outbreak.
A person infected with the herpes simplex
virus and has oral or genital herpes will usually experience an outbreak. There
are three factors involved why an oral or genital herpes outbreak occurs. These
are (1) how strong is the person's immune system; (2) how long has the herpes
simplex virus been in a person's body; and (3) does the herpes simplex virus
affect the usual site of preference in a person?
The strength of a person's immune system
has a great role regarding the occurrence of an oral and genital herpes
outbreak. The primary reason that people are experiencing oral and genital
herpes outbreak more frequently is the limited immune system response or a
weakened immune system.
The herpes simplex virus does not get
stronger when the immune system is weak but the person's body cannot cope with
the herpes simplex virus that is present in the body. When a person's immune
system is compromised due to HIV, cancer, severe ailments, etc., the herpes
simplex virus can greatly affect that person and an oral or genital herpes
outbreak may occur.
The length of time that the herpes simplex
virus has been in a person's body has a great role in the oral and genital
herpes outbreak frequency. It is clear that those people who have the highest
levels of herpes simplex virus antibodies have the greatest number of oral and
genital herpes outbreaks.
A million Americans have contracted the
herpes simplex virus type 1 or oral herpes during their childhood years.
Because the herpes simplex virus has been in their body for a longer period of
time, when they reach their adult years, only about five percent of them
encounter medical problems and seek treatment for oral herpes.
Meanwhile, about 40 million Americans are
infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 or genital herpes during their
teenage years or sexually active adult years. Because the herpes simplex virus
has been in their bodies for a shorter period of time, they usually experience
a minimum of four genital herpes outbreaks during the first year. The frequency
of genital herpes outbreaks will usually decrease over time.
The site of preference for the herpes
simplex virus type 1 or oral herpes is the facial region specifically the mouth
and lips. The site of preference for the herpes simplex virus type 2 or genital
herpes is the genital area. When the type of herpes simplex virus is outside of
its site of preference, the outbreak is usually milder than when the herpes
simplex virus is in its normal site of preference.
People infected with herpes simplex virus
type 1 genitally usually have fewer outbreaks in a single year. People infected
with herpes simplex virus type 2 orally are very rare and outbreaks in a single
year are rare also.
The immune system's strength, the length of
time of the infection, and where the virus outbreak occurs are the factors that
affect both oral and genital herpes.
