Oral Herpes FAQs
Q: How common are cold sores, fever blisters?
 By adulthood, over 90% of people in the United States are exposed
to one or more of the viruses in the family that includes the cold
sore virus. Scientists do not know why, but not everyone who is
exposed to the virus develops recurring cold sores. About 40% of
people exposed to the cold sore virus experience one or more lesions
per year.
Some people may get a cold sore 4 or more times per year. Some
will get only one or two per year. Still others may have them only
once in their lifetime. Many people are infected and don't even
know it. They are a significant reason there is a burgeoning epidemic
of HSV infection around the world, as these people unknowingly spread
the disease to uninfected people.
Q: What is a Cold Sore, Fever Blister?
Many people are not aware that Fever Blisters and Cold Sores both
refer to the same thing, an infection on the lips caused by the
human herpes simplex virus, usually type 1 (HSV-1). The medical
term is known as oral herpes. A cold sore typically begins as an
itch, tingle, or tenderness to the touch (prodrome), and progresses
on to become a skin eruption. As the disease progresses, small fluid
filled vesicles may form and join together.
These eventually break due to disease progression and form ulcers.
The ulcers may weep fluid when they are open. They are very contagious
at this time. The ulcers then scab over and heal spontaneously without
complications in 7-14 days.
Cold sores / fever blisters usually
occur on or very near the lips. Some people may get more than one
cold sore at a time. Some people may get them under the nose and
in surrounding areas. Oral herpes can also occur inside the mouth
occurring on the roof of the mouth and the gum adjacent to the teeth
only (non movable tissue only) This need to be distinguished from
canker sores which occurs only on the movable tissues of the mouth.
Less frequently other parts of the body (arm, finger, leg, eye)
can become infected, as well. Cold sores can be very embarrassing
for some people. Fear of embarrassment can lead some to compromise
their work or school responsibilities.
Q: Are cold sores just a trivial disease that will go away anyway?
In most people, cold sores can be very painful and can be an extreme
social embarrassment. Even though most people heal in about 10 days
after having a painful lesion, cold sores are not a trivial disease.
When the cold sore virus is accidentally transmitted to a baby
or somebody with a weakened immune system, the results can be disastrous.
Serious infections can lead to death. Infection of the eyes can
lead to blindness.
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