Can Genital Herpes Kill You?

For most healthy individuals herpes can be considered a painful and sometimes debilitating skin condition, but one that is not typically fatal. The Herpes virus will not shorten your lifespan but there are some rare complications that can prove such as Herpesviral Encephalitis which if left untreated could lead to death. This complication arises when the HSV type 1 virus, which is the one responsible for cold sores, reaches and infects the central nervous system. Without treatment this complication leads to a rapid death in over 70% of the cases with survivors suffering severe neurological damage and only 2% of which recover completely. Luckily even though HSV type is extremely common Herpesviral Encephalitis only affects 1 in 500,000 individuals.

Note: This article is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your specific condition.