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Home: Diseases & Conditions: Genital Herpes: Causes
Genital Herpes: Causes
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Causes Of Genital Herpes
Virus called Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV causes genital herpes. HSV is of two types- HSV1 and HSV2.
HSV1 is responsible for causing oral herpes (cold sores). HSV2 is mainly responsible for causing genital herpes.
HSV1 can also cause genital herpes. Therefore if someone having active cold sores performs oral sex on another person, the other person will get genital herpes. Though a healthy individual can also contract HSV2 in the mouth, it rarely causes cold sores.
To conclude, HSV1 can cause both genital herpes and cold sores, whereas HSV2 can cause only genital herpes.
Article updated on: May 26, 2008
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