by Alison Bowler

Created on: May 02, 2010

Cold sores, those blisters that appear, normally around the lips, can be painful, annoying and embarrassing. So what causes them? The simple answer to thtais the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Normally the strain involved is Herpes Simplex type 1 (HSV1) but occasionally Herpes Simplex type 2 (HSV2) may cause the infection.

The Herpes type viruses have the ability to lie dormant in the body. In that case of HSV, they reside in the nerve ganglions and reactivate when the body's immune system is under stress. The primary infection tends to be more extensive than any recurrences

.As the immune system fights another infection HSV frequently reactivates. It is this reason that the appearance of the blister coincides with a cold, hence the name cold sores.  

Another cause is stress, which is why they can make an appearance at the most inopportune moments, as all too many a bride on her wedding day may tell. Some women develop cold sores on a monthly basis coinciding with points of her menstrual cycle.

The fluid from the blister contains active virus and so is highly contagious. It can infect any skin suface and young children with active cold sores who suck their fingers or thumbs may develop Herpes whitlow where the blister develops on the tips of their fingers or thumbs.  Not all reactivations result in the formation of a blister. Such asymptomatic reactivations are still contagious.

At the start of a reactivation the patient normally feels a tingling sensation. The application of a cream containing the antiviral drug Acylovir, at that time, may lessen the symptoms and shorten their duration. The use of this drug during the time a blister is present also helps but the earlier the start of application or the medicine the better the response. Maintaining a healthy life-style and a good diet lessens the number of reactivations by maintaining the immune system. Preventing chapping of the lips by using an appropriate moiturizer alos helps prevenet recurences of cold sores.

While most people with cold sores suffer an annoying problem it rarely causes them any major health concerns occassionally there may be a major problem. Somtimes instead of descending down the nerve ganglion to the skin, the virus goes up to the brain to cause encephaphalitis. This can cause severe brain damage and occassionally even death. Fortunately this is a very rare complication of HSV infection.

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