Herpes

Herpes is a viral-based disorder characterized by small blisters, which are often painful. The most common kinds of herpes viruses are Herpes simplex, genital herpes (Herpes simplex type II), and Herpes zoster (shingles). Herpes simplex can cause cold sores and inflammation of the conjunctiva (mucous membranes around the eye), mouth and vagina. These sores can occur during times of stress and then disappear. Some people can be infected with this virus and be symptom-free for years. Another more serious type of herpes infection is genital herpes, which is a sexually-transmitted disease, often with painful blisters in the genital or oral region. Shingles is characterized by pain occurring along the course of infected nerves, followed by vesicles erupting on the skin along the path of the same nerves. The active infection usually lasts about 3 weeks, though residual pain can last for months. The same virus is associated with chicken pox in children.