Question: are mouth herpes and genital herpes the same thing?
Answer: Genital herpes is usually caused by HSV-2; oral herpes (cold sores) is usually caused by HSV-1. However, genital herpes can also be caused by HSV-1. Someone with HSV-1 can transmit the virus through oral contact with another person's genitals, anus, or mouth, even if they don't have sores that are visible at the time.