Differentiating the types of Herpes can only be done in the lab, and either type can cause infections anywhere on the body. As with other viruses, the immune system responds to the herpes virus by producing antibodies which suppress the virus and resolve symptoms. Due to the nature of the virus and to the relatively small area of the body involved, this immune reaction is often not complete, and outbreaks may reoccur. Trauma to the infected region, or stress, fatigue, and sunburn may trigger outbreaks, but they can be spontaneous. Most people with recurrent herpes infections usually reach a point where their outbreaks are very rare or cease altogether.
Some people never have a recurrence.
An active outbreak may cause serious infections in newborns but medical techniques are available to detect herpes risk during delivery. Therefore, it is important for a woman with a history of genital herpes to inform her clinician. Women with a history of Herpes are also urged to be conscientious about getting their annual pap smears. Typically, herpes appears as thin-walled blisters at the site where the virus entered the body. On dry skin, the lesions may initially appear as a cluster of red bumps.