If infants 6 weeks of age or younger have signs of oral herpes, their pediatrician should be notified. Complications of herpes simplex virus 1 in infants are greater. Herpes in infants can not only stay in the mouth or mouth, but also spread to the brain and cause serious damage. Infants most often contract the virus through skin-to-skin contact with an adult who has HSV I. This can be done when an adult pinches a baby's cheek or by rubbing lotion on the baby. Any skin-to-skin contact can transmit the virus to the baby. Signs and symptoms of a baby with HSV I also include blisters or pain around the mouth, dehydration, or failure to urinate. Lack of urination is an indicator because if the baby is dehydrated, it's probably because their lymph nodes or throat are swollen or tender. Treatment and Prevention Although there is no cure for HSV I, there are medications that can shorten outbreaks or prevent them altogether. This is because after the first initial outbreak, the virus moves from skin cells to nerve cells. Nerve cells are where the virus will reside and stay there forever. The virus will remain “dormant”, that is to say it is still there but will not appear present. Elements that can “wake up” the virus, causing an epidemic, are stress, illness, fever, exposure to the sun and surgery. Some topical treatments for HSV I are Denavir, Zovirax, Abreva, and some other medications. The majority of these topical herpes medications (cold sores and cold sores) can only be prescribed by a doctor. The only medicine that can be purchased for treatment in a pharmacy is Abreva. These medications must be applied to the wound several times a day and usually heal within a few days. If someone had an outbreak and didn't want to use ...... middle of paper ...... and wound samples sent to the lab. The doctor can then determine whether or not a person will need continued medication. For HSV I, medications are only used during outbreaks to reduce the duration of the outbreak and for HSV II, it depends on the case and whether the doctor determines whether the individual will need to take medication at any time or only during epidemics. Overall, due to new sexual practices, the levels of these two strains of the herpes simplex virus will continue to increase. It is important to get the virus treated if the person knows they are positive for the virus and to inform their sexual partner. It is also important for individuals to know who they are sharing drinks, lip balms with, and who they are kissing and recognizing these sores to reduce their risk of contracting the virus...