Everyone with fever blisters wonders are fever blisters contagious? Unfortunately, fever blisters are contagious. The reason for this is that what you would call a fever blister or cold sore is actually a virus named herpes simplex virus type I or HSV-1. And like many other viruses, it is spread from person to person.
As proof of how contagious fever blisters are, it is estimated that this common skin condition affects 15% to 30% of the US population, and that more than 85% of the world's population has been infected with the HSV-1 virus.
How Are Fever Blisters Spread?
Fever blisters are spread from person to person in the form of droplets of moisture from the mouth, infected saliva or skin-to-skin contact. It is most frequently passed through kissing. If you have fever blisters, you probably contracted HSV-1 virus sometime between the age of six months and 10 years. This most likely came as the result of a father, mother, aunt or someone else in the family hugging and kissing you, totally ignorant of the fact that they had just gave you a virus you will have for the rest of your life. Children can also receive the virus through the sharing of utensils or a toothbrush.
Did your first fever blister outbreak occur when you were an adult? Then you can probably thank an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend or even your wife or husband.
When Is Someone With Fever Blisters Contagious?
Herpes simplex virus type I lie dormant for months before erupting as a fever blister. It hides in the nervous system, in a nerve near the jaw line, where it lies dormant. When the virus is dormant, there is no risk of infecting someone else. It can remain permanently inactive at this site or may occasionally travel down the nerve to the surface, causing a recurrence of the fever blisters, usually at the outside edge of the lip or the edge of the nostril. A person is contagious when he or she has a fever blister and is shedding the virus, when the virus is reproducing and shedding infected cells.
How To Avoid Giving Fever blisters To Others
If you have an outbreak of fever blisters and are contagious, it's important that you not kiss anyone. You should also avoid touching the fever blister and then touching another person. It is a good idea to wash your hands frequently and try not to touch other parts of your body after touching the fever blister. Finally, you should consider using a fever blister treatment that will reduce the amount of time that you are contagious. Most importantly, if you have a small child, make absolutely sure you do not kiss him or her when you are contagious.
How You Can Avoid Getting Fever Blisters From Others
The simple way to avoid getting the virus from others is to make sure you do not kiss anyone who has a fever blister. In addition, try to avoid any skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a fever blister -- being especially careful not to touch or rub up against the fever blister itself.
Can You Have The HSV-1 Virus And Not Know It?
It is entirely possible that you could have the herpes simplex virus type I and never know it. This is because in many cases you contract the virus but it then remains dormant indefinitely. In fact, it is estimated that two thirds of the people who have the virus never experience an outbreak of fever blisters.
Unfortunately, the other one thirdcan experience recurrences of the fever blisters throughout their lives. It is not clearly understood what triggers these recurrences but it is thought they can be caused by exposure to sunlight, by stress or trauma, or by other illnesses such as the flu, eczema, a cold or a fever. It has also been noted that some women experience a recurrence of the fever blisters only when menstruating.
Tests For HSV-1
Many times a doctor can diagnose herpes simplex virus type I simply by examining your fever blister. However, there are tests available to confirm that you have the virus. This includes a blood test for anti-bodies of the HSV, direct florescent anti-body test (DFA) of cells taken from a lesion (fever blister) and a viral culture of the lesion. For the viral culture test, your healthcare provider collects a sample when you are having a fever blister and places it in a laboratory container. This sample is then sent to a lab where it is placed in a special dish and watched for the growth of the herpes simplex virus or substances related to it. Special tests may also be done at this point to determine whether it is herpes simplex virus type I or 2.
Are fever blisters contagious? Fever blisters are contagious. When are suffering an outbreak you will need to be very careful not to infect a loved one. If you suffer from fever blisters, talk with your doctor or dentist. They can determine whether you need a prescription Fever Blister Medicine or an over-the-counter fever blister remedy to help cure the pain and burning of the fever blister and to help speed healing.
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