Contagious Stages of a Cold Sore

Outbreaks of the cold sores normally endure many days. The affected persons will have dry or sun-burnt skin, excessive pressure, rubbing illness, and tiredness; however, regularly there is no noticeable trigger. Many people experience cautious symptoms like numbness or tingling just before the outbreak of cold sore. Over the period of times, the outbreaks of cold sores become less frequent and much milder.

Cold sores mainly spread through sharing fabric materials and utensils that touches the lips. The virus even spreads through using the tooth brush of the infected person. Since the virus is highly contagious, the virus also spreads through the fabric items like face towels, bed sheets, pillow cover, hand kerchiefs, and other dress materials which get contact with the cold sores. While brushing against their lesion the viral particles stick on to the fibers of the tooth brush, and get transmitted when a healthy person uses the same brush. The virus can also be transmitted by using tea cups and lip sticks.

It may also spread through kissing. Herpes virus spreads very rapidly in the body of the people with weak immune system; because the antibodies cannot very well against the herpes virus. The herpes virus infection would be fatal for them; hence they must take extra care around them. The virus is easily spread to the persons with eczema since they have open sores.

When you have a cold sore you should not allow anyone to come into skin contact with the sore; because it spreads faster through skin contact. Especially, keep away from kissing the newborn babies and anyone who has an inadequate immune system; for example, the people undergoing chemotherapy or the people with AIDS. Usually, when the infected person does not have any symptoms of cold sores, that is virus is dormant, then the person is not infectious. In addition, the healthy persons who already have cold sores cannot be re-infected.

The virus is also infecting the fingers of the persons with the herpes virus infection. This infection leads to condition called herpetic whitlow. Herpetic whitlow produces severe pain in the fingers. The contagious cold sore also spreads to eyes, which results in corneal blindness.

The most contagious stage of cold sore is the rupturing stage of the cold sore blisters, which is called weeping stage. The watery fluid comes out from these blisters contains millions of viral particles. The other areas of the body which get in contact with the watery fluid will also develop cold sores.

When cold sores carry on to exist for many days, the number of viral particles present in the lesions will be lessened. Usually during the crusting stage, the number of viral particles present in the cold sores will come down. All stages of a cold sore are contagious; however, the tingle stage is considered as the most contagious stage.

Since the cold sore is contagious, the best way to eradicate the virus is isolation of the infected persons. They should live in a separate room until the recover from cold sore. They should use separate towels, pillows, bed sheets, dress materials, brush, razor, tea cups, and other utensils.