The main mode of infection is direct contact with herpetic lesions or infected secretions (saliva, nasal secretions, tears). The risk of infection is highest during outbreaks, but also outside of them in lower proportions.

In cases of herpes, it is advisable to have no direct contact of the skin (baisers.), particularly with people at risk such as pregnant women, newborns and immunocompromised individuals.

It should also be careful when one partner has genital herpes. Condom use is strongly recommended for people with genital herpes, either with or without seizures. It is even recommended to observe abstinence during times of crisis, particularly as reports can be painful.

Note that sexual contact involving the mouth and sex can lead to transmission of the virus on their lips to the genitals. The converse, although less frequent, is also possible.

You should know that a person infected with the virus also could infect themselves by touching another part of his body with his fingers.

Finally, the risk of transmission from mother to child during pregnancy is especially if primary infection or recurrences near term, at birth or even after birth.
Neonatal herpes is very serious, it is essential to avoid any contact between an infected person and a newborn.
There are circumstances favoring the occurrence of crises such as:
* Fever
* Risk factors for stress or emotion
* Fatigue, jet lag
* Alcohol intake
* Rules
* A local trauma (tooth extraction, irritation, sex)
* Sun exposure
* Intercourse
* Some laser treatments, dermabrasion.

It can also be healthy carriers and transmit the virus.

The different localizations of herpes

- The cold sore
In the mouth, HSV is responsible for the classic cold sore that appears on the edge of the lips, when exposed to sunlight, during a decline in general condition, infection, a period Stress.

After a day or two gene types of burning, itching, blisters appear that fill with fluid forming a yellow bouquet herpes, the blisters dry, turn into scabs that fall without leaving a scar. The rash lasts about ten days.

- In the eye: the herpetic keratitis
At eye level, herpes can cause irreversible damage and blindness. It then reaches the cornea (the transparent skin in front of the iris and pupil), causes inflammation of the tissue which will leave scars opaque causing vision problems sometimes major.

Herpetic keratitis may be due to auto-infection: the patient touches his herpetic lesions and then rub your eyes: the virus can be inoculated. Herpetic keratitis may be among newborns who have been infected at birth by their mother if it made a genital herpes outbreak at this time.

- The herpetic whitlow
Classically it is a child who is a primary herpetic infection in the mouth and sucking his thumb. The thumb injury that will look like a whitlow.

- Genital herpes
The primary infection usually occurs in adolescents during their first sexual intercourse. It can be very serious in young girls with the occurrence of vulvo-vaginal blisters that burst quickly replaced by extensive ulceration, very painful, associated with urinary disorders. The lesions may require hospitalization.

Condoms are not the panacea to prevent genital herpes infections. Condoms prevent transmission of herpes if they cover the lesion that is to say about the penis, vagina and cervix, which is not bad.

But if the boy had a herpetic lesion on the glans or foreskin, and he puts a condom only when the penetration, the virus can be transmitted to the woman where the lesion has been in contact. If he has a lesion on the testicle or elsewhere, the virus can be transmitted to her partner. Conversely, vulvar lesions can infect the genitals of the boy where he is or not a condom before he puts one.

The contagion during unprotected oral-genital sex there too.

The only way to avoid infection is to abstain if a person has a herpes lesion, that, provided it is known and diagnosed.

A pregnant woman give birth by Caesarean section if she has herpes lesions. Women who are pregnant are monitored especially when the end comes. If they have herpes lesions at the cervix, vagina or vulva, it is better that the baby is born by caesarean section rather than by natural means, it should not be put in contact with the virus, herpes eye is particularly serious.