Billions of people around the world have the infection, caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), although many of them don’t know it. It can spread through contact with other cold sores, saliva or even unbroken skin around the mouth. The virus that commonly causes cold sores starts reshaping our genome within an hour of infection to boost its own growth, which scientists could take advantage of to treat severe cases.
What do cold sores actually do to your body? 🦠🫦
