What is the history of herpes and how is it spread?

As you, or someone you know, begin to deal with the virus, you may be wondering what exactly the herpes story is. Where did the virus come from and when did it become so prevalent? Here is a brief description for you.

The goal of this article is to provide a basic history of genital herpes. Don’t think of this as a textbook with all the information you could want or need. Instead, it covers the basics of the virus’s progression through history and how it became so prevalent.

The history of herpes begins in ancient Greece. Hippocrates speaks of the condition in his writings. Even the word “herpes” is a Greek word meaning “to crawl or crawl,” which is how the Greeks described the way skin lesions spread. In Roman times, Emperor Tiberius tried to stop an outbreak of mouth herpes by banning kissing at public events and ceremonies. Shortly after Tiberius, a physician named Celsus suggested that herpes be treated by cauterizing the sores with a hot iron. It is unknown how long Tiberius’ ban on kissing lasted or how long Celsus’ treatment was used, but both seem to have ended rather quickly.

Later in history, Shakespeare is believed to have learned of the virus. In his play Romeo and Juliet he speaks of “blistering plagues” which scholars believe refers to the herpes virus. There are also medical journals from the 17th and early 18th centuries that talk about this disease. During this time there were also a lot of speculation about what caused herpes – one of the most notable was the suggestion that herpes was caused by insect bites. Obviously, the herpes story contains many misconceptions.

However, this information doesn’t really tell us when or where the herpes story began. The origin of herpes in humans is unknown. Some scholars believe that it has been around since the beginning of the human race.

In more recent times, the history of genital herpes and the way the virus has spread since the 20th century began to be recognized. Studies began to define various strains of the virus, and in 1919 a man named Lowenstein confirmed scientists’ suspicion that herpes was infectious.

Before this time, people weren’t sure that herpes was a virus; in fact, many considered it like other common skin conditions, such as eczema, that cannot be transmitted. Herpes studies continued into the 20th century and scientists were able to begin to identify various strains of the virus.. The story of genital herpes continues as scientists and doctors continue to study it and look for ways to minimize its effects and the possibility of transmission.

What can we learn from this herpes story? It certainly reveals that the disease is not just a modern phenomenon. It has been around for a while and unfortunately unless a cure is found it will continue to be around. In the meantime, we can be thankful that the medical minds of our day have a much better understanding of the condition and are working on ways to minimize symptoms and hopefully one day eliminate the disease.