Causes Of Cold Sore

Cold sores are caused by a virus called herpes simplex. Nearly everyone in the world carries these highly contagious viruses. Normally, this virus is dormant. Once it become active, it will begin the replication process on your lip or nose. This is basically what causes cold sores. It is transmitted during close contact with an infected person who is shedding virus from the skin, in saliva or in secretions from the genitals.
HSV -1 causes cold sores in the majority of cases, while HSV-2 more often causes genital sores. HSV-1 is so common that most Americans get infected with it, although many never have any symptoms. Both types of HSV are capable of infecting the skin at any location on the body.

Herpes infections, no matter where they occur first, have a tendency to recoverr in more or less the same place. Such recurrences may happen often (for example, once a month) or only occasionally (for example, once or twice a year).

Genital herpes can be caused by either the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 or HSV-2 can cause sores on the lips and sores on the genitals.

It spread through:

• Kissing a person with a cold sore;

• Sharing a drinking glass, utensils towels or washcloths;

• Infected saliva is a common means of transmitting the virus;

• A fever, cold, or the flu;

• changes in the immune system;

• emotional stress physical stress, such as having another illness

• other damage to the skin (such as ‘facial resurfacing’ procedures)

• major dentistry, such as having a tooth removed, mensuration.

• trauma to the skin;
  

How does cold sore virus work?

The first symptoms of herpes occur within 2 to 20 days after contact with an infected person. After infection, the virus travels away from the mouth using the nerves of the face as a pathway and comes to a place called a ganglion. There, it lays quietly in a stage that is referred to as "dormant" or "latent." But it does not damage the nerves or interfere with their function.

In some people (about 1 in 12), from time to time, the herpes virus travels back the way it came, along the nerve towards the mouth. This is called activation. But instead of going to the inside of the mouth, it takes a slightly different path and ends up in the skin

After the cold sore heals, the virus goes back up the nerve to the ganglion again, where it rests. But it can become activated again at any time, and travel down the nerves to the skin causing another sore. The virus always travels up and down the same or nearby nerve pathways, which explains why cold sores always recur in roughly the same place. It can be reactivated due to the effects of other illnesses such as cold and influenza, eczema, menstruation, emotional and physical stress, exposure to bright sunlight, gastric upset, fatigue or injury. When it arrives in the skin, it causes a cold sore.

HSV may occur between mother and child during childbirth, which can be fatal to the infant. The immature immune system of the child is unable to defend against the virus and even if treated, the infection can result in inflammation of the brain that may cause brain damage. Transmission occurs when the infant passes through the birth canal, but the risk of infection is reduced if there are no symptoms or exposed blisters during delivery. The first outbreak after exposure to HSV is commonly more severe than future outbreaks, as the body has not had a chance to produce antibodies.

When a child first gets the infection, there may be no symptoms at all, or there may be a fever and a sore mouth that clears up after 2–3 weeks.

At times, the virus can start replicating again it travel down the nerve to the skin, causing sores and blisters. People are most contagious when they have active blister-like sores. Once the blisters have dried and crusted over (within a few days), the risk of infection is significantly lessened.

However, a person infected with HSV can pass it on to another person regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. This is because the virus is sometimes shed in saliva even when sores are not present. After the first infection, the virus often remains. We seem to have difficulty in getting rid of it completely. A cold sore is the result of a compromised immune system.