Is herpes 1 a contagious disease?
Patient: i will like to know if herpes 1 is something serious, i am a 29 year old female, my practioner called with my blood test results and said it came back positive.  I will like to know if this type is contagious and if its an std, she said its due to sun, dehydration and low blood count. So is this true? Doctor: Hello,herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a virus which means that it is contagious. It's been transmitted to you by somebody. Most people have HSV-1 and they may experience exacerbations from time to time (cold sores on the lips). The virus lies dormant inside your nervous system. This is nothing very serious to worry about unless the exacerbations are very frequent (many times per year). It's not due to the sun or dehydration or the low blood count but these conditions (except the sun) may cause reactivation of the virus.I'll be glad to answer any further questions you may have on this subject.Kind Regards!