what do cold sores mean
Cold sores -- also called fever blisters -- are a painful infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). These blisters are usually caused by HSV type 1, but can less commonly be due to HSV type 2. person with a cold sore who performs oral sex on another person can give that person genital lesions with HSV-1. Similarly, a person who performs oral sex on another person with genital HSV-2 lesions can develop oral lesions. Sores may develop as late as 20 days after exposure to the virus.