The herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes cold sores (fever blisters) on the lips and in the mouth, and genital herpes on the genitals, buttocks, thighs, or abdomen. Herpes zoster, another kind of herpes virus, causes chickenpox and shingles. These viral infections are estimated to affect some 80 million people in America with at least one in five adults in the United States having genital infections. Between 200,000 and 500,000 people “catch” genital herpes each year, while the number of people getting oral infections is many times higher. It is impossible to get genital herpes from a toilet seat. The hallmark of HSV infection is a blister or cluster of blisters that often feels tingly and itchy at first, becoming sore later, eventually crusting over and disappearing. An initial episode of he.