Herpes is an extremely common viral infection that affects about one in six people. It comes in two flavors: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). It can affect the skin and nervous system, and is known for the sores it causes.
What is the Difference Between HSV-1 and HSV-2?
Herpes creates annoying and painful sores regardless of the strain, and both kinds can cause these sores to show up anywhere. The main difference between the two strains is that HSV-1 usually causes sores on or around your mouth, while HSV-2 generally causes sores on your genitals. Because of this, HSV-1 is often called oral herpes, while HSV-2 is referred to as genital herpes.
Oral herpes is much more common than genital herpes; the World Health Organization said in a recent report that 2 out of 3 people under the age of 50 have it. The percentage of the population that has genital herpes is less, but is still a sizable 16%. Aside from the location of the sores, the difference between the two is otherwise negligible.
