Herpes simplex 1 is usually responsible for cases of oral herpes, though in rare instances herpes simplex 1 affects the genital region. Genital herpes is typically caused by herpes simplex 2, though herpes simplex 2 can also, rarely, cause oral herpes.

Herpes is an exceptionally common virus, likely surpassed in commonness only by the virus causing a typical cold. It's believed that eighty to ninety percent of all adults are infected with herpes simplex 1. Herpes simplex 2 is significantly less frequent, but still fairly common with an infection rate of roughly twenty percent of all adults.

Not all cases of herpes are symptomatic. In herpes simplex 2 cases, up to ninety percent of infected persons aren't aware of their status because symptoms either are not present or are not unique enough to be recognized. When a herpes infection does present symptoms, the symptoms are typically an outbreak of blisters, or lesions.

Herpes is a transmittable condition, especially during a symptom outbreak. It was once believed that herpes transmission could only happen if a symptoms outbreak were occurring, but evidence now demonstrates that the herpes virus can be on the skin surface, and thus can be transmitted, even when no visible signs of an outbreak are present. The phenomenon of herpes virus on the skin surface in the absence of a visible outbreak is known as asymptomatic shedding.

When herpes is transmitted, the path to infection is skin-to-skin contact. Intimate skin-to-skin contact is the way that herpes is spread. Secondary objects, such as a toilet seat or some other public resource, are not means for passing a herpes infection. Herpes is transmitted when people have intimate physical contact, usually while an outbreak is ongoing.

Herpes infections can absolutely be a nuisance and can be physically uncomfortable as well, but a herpes infection is not considered a serious health threat. A person's general health state is not compromised from a herpes infection. The only possible exceptions to this are herpes infections in infants -- typically infants become infected with herpes from a genital herpes infected mother -- and herpes infections in persons with seriously compromised immune systems.

A characteristic of all herpes infections is the consistent appearance of symptoms. Symptoms of herpes, when they appear, remain in the region where infection took place and do not move about the body.