Herpes - How harmful to the body is the herpes virus?

How harmful to the body is the herpes virus?

My friend recently confessed she has herpes and it's shocked me because she has a perfectly normal social life and looks totally heathly. She says she has breakouts and didn't know she had it. I'm confused about the virus, I know it stays in the body for life but is it harmful? Does it simply stay in the body dorment apart from these breakouts or does it damage organs and tissue slowly over time?

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Hi dear , There are currently eight known types of Human Herpesvirus: Herpes simplex type I Herpes simplex type II Varicella-zoster virus (VZV/HHV-3) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV/HHV-4) Cytomegalovirus (CMV/HHV-5) Human herpesvirus type 6 (HBLV/HHV-6) Human herpesvirus type 7 (HHV-7) Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8 Herpes simplex virus types I and II (HHV1 & 2) Primary infection occurs through a break in the mucus membranes of the mouth or throat, via the eye or genitals or directly via minor abrasions in the skin. Because of the universal distribution of the virus, most individuals are infected by 1-2 years of age; initial infection is usually asymptomatic, although there may be minor local vesicular lesions. Local multiplication is followed by viraemia and systemic infection; and subsequent life-long latent infection with periodic reactivation. Systemic infection, eg fever, sore throat, and lymphadenopathy may pass unnoticed. If immunocompromised it may be life-threatening with fever, lymphadenopathy, pneumonitis, and hepatitis. Gingivostomatitis: Ulcers filled with yellow slough appear in the mouth. Herpetic whitlow: A breach in the skin allows the virus to enter the finger, causing a vesicle to form. Often affects childrens' nurses. Traumatic herpes (herpes gladiatorum): Vesicles develop at any site where HSV is ground into the skin by brute force. Eczema herpeticum: HSV infection of eczematous skin; usually children. Herpes simplex meningitis: This is uncommon and usually self-limiting (typically HSV II in women during a primary attack) - see meningitis. Genital herpes: Usually HSV type 2 See genital herpes simplex HSV keratitis: Corneal dendritic ulcers. Avoid steroids. Herpes Simplex Encephalitis: Usually HSV type1. Spreads centripetally, eg from cranial nerve ganglia, to frontal and temporal lobes. Suspect if fever, fits, headaches, odd behaviour, dysphasia, hemiparesis, or coma or subacute brainstem encephalitis, meningitis, or myelitis; see HSV Encephalitis feel free to ask
I think it stays dormant apart from the breakouts, i don't think it damages anything else. Check the internet.
its not life threatening its just painful and inconvenient at times. i don't believe that its harmful to the bodys organs or tissue unless they develope herpes of the eye (ocular herpes) then they have a chance at going blind. it can cause some back pain durring outbreaks and some mild scarring of the genital tissue. some people don't even know that they have it and ignorant as to what the outbreaks could be. the virus lies dormant in the spine and finds its way out durring stressful times or if its triggered by something.
Herpes isn't typically harmful, it's just more of an inconvenience. It does not lead to other diseases or cause cancer. It does not cause long-term deterioration of anything, and will not cause a person to be unhealthy. It just means that you sometimes get cold sores - usually on your mouth (if that's where you have it) or on your genitals. Most people (50% to 80%) already have oral herpes by the time they are adults - but most people who have it don't realize it. For more information on herpes transmission, treatment and symptoms, I'd recommend the website below.
Everyone I've talked to about herpes has said what everyone here has said. However I've been having severe symptoms for almost 2 years, without any relief. I have constant outbreaks and my health has deteriorated significantly. My immune system has really taken a beating. One man I talked to can no longer walk as the virus attacked his nervous system. So although for most people it's just an "inconvenient" disease, there are some of us that it drastically changes our health and lives. I can honestly say if I don't find a competent doctor in the very near future that can help me find some sort of relief, I don't know what I'll do. I've been tested for all other std's and they were all negative. I am so sick all of the time though. This has been a horrible experience for me, and your friend is very lucky that she is relatively healthy.
It lies dormant until something re-activates it. This can be stress, vigorous sex, menstruation and other factors depending on the person, the virus varies. And it's not so much that it's harmful, more painful and annoying than anything. If she has frequent outbreaks she can get the Dr to give her some meds.
It isn't harmful. It is a viral skin infection, and that is all. Though annoying, it does no harm to healthy adults. Cold sores that most people get occasionally are herpes - just in a different place, on the mouth. Cold sores are just harmless but infectious and annoying when they crop up, and genital herpes is exactly the same - the symptoms are identical. All in all, taking oral and genital herpes into account, 95% of us as a minimum have one of the two herpes viruses by middle age. Either virus - type 1 or type 2 - can infect either location. I have genital type 1, which I caught from receiving oral sex from a partner that gets occasional cold sores - a very common way to catch genital herpes. It just stays dormant - the immune system is very good at controlling it and it does not damage organs or cause any tissue damage. It certainly doesn't deserve the stigma we attach to it, especially given that there is no stigma attached to having oral cold sores. In my experience, though irritating and sometimes slightly tender when an outbreak happens, it isn't even painful, and outbreaks last 3 days max. In fact, 20% of people with herpes have NO symptoms whatsoever, and a further 60% have symptoms so mild that they are completely unaware they have it. Only a tiny, tiny percentage of people with herpes have a problem with it - generally people with impaired immune systems. These people are just as likely to have problems with oral herpes (constant cold sores) as with genital herpes. Like with cold sores, while most people with the virus never even get one, some get small ones occaisonally, and some people are plagued by them. But being plagued by it is not the norm, and your friend is not lucky, she is just absolutely normal in the way she is experiencing herpes. Many people only find out they have it when a blood test tests positive for the virus - and that blood test has to be specifically requested, as it isn' part of a standard std screen. So yes, your friend is totally healthy, just like one of the 80% of people who get the odd cold sore is.