Mothers with herpes pass the disease to their newborn through the infected birth canal. Outbreaks of genital herpes occurs when the person experiences stress such as possible family problems, during menstruation, after getting the common cold, fever, stomach aches, even after a sunburn. The outbreak consists of genital lesions or blisters. Men may develop these lesions on the prepuce of the penis. The anus and rectum may also become infected for those that engage in anal sex.
Women breakout in the cervix or vulva, the perineal skin and sometimes on the legs and buttocks.
Primary infections of genital herpes may be asymptomatic or have a development of lesions. HSV 2 has been known to cause aseptic meningitis. HSV 1 cause fever blisters or cold sores around the mouth and lips. HSV 1 has also been known to infect the CNS, giving the most common cause of meningoencephalitis, during a primary infection. With the discovery of a possible genital herpes sore, tests can be done to detect the virus directly and there are serology tests to display a possible early exposure to HSV 2.