A Simple Guide to Different Herpes Viruses:
What Differentiates One from the Other
There are different kinds of Herpes Viruses but only eight or more are known to infect man regularly like the common cold virus. Although Herpes Viruses are common, its manifestations only occur or can only be seen among people who have low immunologic conditions but nonetheless is present in more than 90% of the population worldwide. Children, AIDS and HIV patients, and sex workers have a higher chance however, of manifesting a recurrence of any of the Herpes Viruses known to man.
Common Herpes Viruses
- Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2 – is a sexually transmitted type of herpes virus that affects both children and adults. HSV -1 and HSV-2 both binds to an open endothelium and invades the lymphocytes and eventually imbeds itself within your DNA. Once you acquire this virus either when you were a child or through sexual contact as an adult, you will have this for the rest of your life. It is manifested through oral and genital lesions or blisters which contain a great number of the virus ready to infect anyone on contact. In the past, HSV-1 is the strain which affects the upper part of the body while HSV-2 affects the lower portion. Diseases which are associated with herpes simplex virus are oral lesions, herpes keratitis (eye), herpes withlow (hands), herpes gladiatotum (herpes of wrestlers), exzema herpeticum (children), Genital herpes, HSV proctitis (rectum), HSV encephalitis (affects the temporal lobes) and HSV meningitis
- Varicella- Zoster Virus (Herpes Zoster virus, Human Herpes Virus -3) – HHV-3 is the virus that’s responsible for chicken pox in children and shingles in adults. It has a characteristic rash that forms a belt around the thorax which is commonly seen among adults with shingles. The virus that was formed during childhood is present among 90% of children across the globe, which ultimately helps the development of an antibody. But when the barrier of that antibody is crossed, it can be reactivated thus shingles occur. This recurrence can be caused by stress and a low immune system due to different conditions and factors.
- Epstein-Barr virus- 90-95% of the population is infected with Epstein-barr virus since it can be shed through salivary transfer. An infection of this virus is also known as the “kissing disease” or the infectious mononucleosis. However, in other parts of the world Epstein-barr virus is responsible in the development of Burkitt’s lymphoma in Africa and nasal pharyngeal carcinoma in the Orient. It is also widely known to cause oral-hairy luekoplakia among HIV patients. And like many Herpes Viruses, this also has no known cure.
- Cytomegalovirus – this herpes virus is the largest genome known today and the only virus known to replicate in human cells. This virus can be transferred in many ways and is also considered as a sexually transmitted disease. It also crosses the fetal-placental barrier during pregnancy and lactation and is most definitely acquired through blood transfusion.
- Human Herpes Virus 6 – has 2 types, HHV-6A and HHV-6B. This is the virus which causes roseola infantum and can be transmitted through the saliva or droplet infection.
- Human Herpes Virus 7 – a great majority of adults are positive with the HHV-7 and is also known as one of the major cause of diseases among children. Although this virus is present in the saliva; it’s mode of transmission is still unknown
- Human Herpes Virus 8 – Formerly known as Kaposi’s sarcoma the rash found in the saliva of most AIDS patients. Like HHV-7 it’s mode of transmission is also unknown.