Maybe your father cheated? Or maybe she has a form of herpes that's spread other ways BESIDES sexual contact? all types of herpes have the potential of becoming "genital" You can have cold sores on your mouth and transfer that to your partner as genital herpes. You can give YOURSELF genital herpes from your own cold sores, or you can pick it up just about anywhere someone with any type of herpes has been, that hasn't been disinfected or sanitized.

Not necessarily, she may have had an ongoing issue with this for quite some time. It can be a hard virus to get rid of, with recurring bouts over many years. Talk to her (she will get over your knowing about it if you explain yourself in a non-confrontational way), and see what she says.

I don't think all strains of herpes are STDs. I could be mistaken here but I think I read somewhere that a simple cold sore is a type of herpes. I have not researched this so I am NOT stating it as a FACT.

Not all strains of herpes are sexually transmitted. You need to know which strain she has. It's possible your father gave it to her, it's possible she had an affair, it's possible she's carried it since before she was married to your father and it's manifesting now, it's possible she's known about it before now and you happened to find out...there are so many possibilities. The only way to get beyond conjecture and wondering is to talk to her in a straightforward manner if you really want to know. Some family conversations are harder than others. Depending on your age, there's nothing wrong with having a mature and candid discussion with your mom. And remember, an STD doesn't carry a moral label with it; she has a virus. You may be surprised at how honest she may be willing to be with you. Good luck.

Not necessarily. Herpes can be transmitted in all sorts of non-sexual ways, way or may not show obvious/recognizable symptoms, and can take a while to incubate in the first place. Maybe it was that boy she kissed during her junior prom, before she met your dad?

Herpes isn't strictly, sexually transmitted. Infact i know of a case or two where the carrier's mother had cold sores - a form of herpes, and it spread through some connection in the household, a tap or towel or something like that. It's not like something like this "flies" so don't worry, it has to be a very unfortunate set of circumstances that could land you with it, so don't be concerned. To keep this as specific as possible, i'll assume it's Genital Herpes. Although currently uncurable there are very effective medicines that confine an outbreak and make it SEEM like its gone totally. And yes it can, never appear again. If it does return, the good thing is to catch it early (which is sometimes inevitable, in the shower for example) and again this medicine will restore an outbreak to normal. And when the outbreak goes for that period of time, theres little way in which it can be contagious. Should a partner ever contract it, it's always good to be safe during intimacy but theres genuinely no real risk while herpes is at bay.

I had an odd, cyclical, somewhat wart-like condition on my thumb a while back. I went to a doctor and he thought it MIGHT be an unusual form of herpes virus from an egg on which I had cut my thumb just before it started. I don't actually think it was, but I learned that herpes is a whole CLASS of viruses, only a few of which are sexually transmitted. Naturally, these are some of the most well-known, probably partly because a wart on your genitals is a lot more irritating than a wart on your thumb, foot or head. If you're worried about it, tell your mom THE TRUTH and just ask her what's going on!

She could have gotten this a number of ways. One of them could have cheated. Or the could be swingers and she got it that way. Her doctor might not have strerilzed his instraments good enough. Sharing a drink with someone who had it and she didn't know if it's oral. Herpes is one of those viruses that can't really be killed and is easily transmitted if it goes untreated. (We had breeding mares in Ohio passing it to each other at one farm just by being in the pasture together.) You need to sit down with her and your father and tell them you know she has it and that you're concerned not only about her health, but protecting yourself. As your parents they should be more then willing to talk to you so you can feel better about the whole situation.

This is from wikipedia: and the last myth is the most important here.[edit] Myths Some common misconceptions about herpes are: that it is fatal. Fact: This is only true for newborns, which is rare, but it is fatal in 25% of all such cases. It can also possibly kill an adult if it infects the brain causing encephalitis, or infects the meninges causing meningitis. that it only affects the genital areas. Fact: It can affect any part of the body. If you touch a genital herpes sore and then touch another part of your body, you can potentially spread the virus. that condoms are completely effective in preventing the spread of this disease. Fact: They do greatly improve protection but are imperfect, only preventing transmission 50% of the time. that it is only transmittable in the presence of symptoms. Fact: There is more viral shedding during an outbreak but it's possible to transmit any time. that it can make you sterile Fact: Genital Herpes cannot make you sterile. that Pap smears detect herpes Fact PAP smears are not designed to detect herpes simplex virus infections. Type-specific serology tests and viral cultures are used to diagnose genital herpes and are not normally conducted during a woman's annual gynecological examination. that it can not be transmitted between the genitals and the mouth. Fact: Even the use of a condom will not prevent transmission between genital and oral regions. that only promiscuous people get it. Fact: It is so common that anyone can contract it. The more sexual partners an individual has, however, the more likely they are to contract the disease.[60] There is a basis in fact that herpes could be transmitted via an inanimate object such as a toilet seat or wet towel but the conditions required for this kind of transmission (high heat, high moisture, and a vulnerable exposure site) make it extremely unlikely. Although there are no confirmed cases of this type of transmission, sharing a towel with somebody with active lesions should be avoided. Likewise, sharing lip or mouth products (toothbrushes, lipstick, lip balm, or similar) with somebody with active lesions should also be avoided.

I dont think you should be involved in this problem,thats between your mom and dad.I think thats very wrong of who ever told you,their relationship is private,Im so sorry to hear your involved!!

i definitely disagree that herpes can be transmitted through towels or other infected things/ households.. it cannot be transmitted through it... But i certainly agree that it can be transmitted through oral (that is, if your father had a cold sore).. the type of oral herpes virus is different from the genital herpes virus although it can still cause herpes in the vagina.. And you should still open the possibility that your father cheated your mother.. who knows...

It depends where her herpes outbreaks are occuring. If they're on her genital area it could be that either of them cheated, or it could be from a previous sexual relationship from either of your parents because most people don't know they have it or are embarassed to tell their partner. And if there is no outbreak at the time, how would you know? I have a cousin who gets herpes outbreaks on his lower back, so even contact could do it. If her outbreaks are in or around her mouth, she could've simply shared a drink.

That was a very good answer that you got. Herpes is a virus that is dormant in your body until you become compromised with your imunity. It then will come out. I would be willing to bet that your mom is very faithful with your father or her spouse. Herpes is a ugly disease that looks a lot worse than it actually is. Have faith in your mom.

Herpes is pretty tricky. Herpes simplex can lay dormant in one's body for weeks, months, or many years. But basically once you have it, you have it. You can get herpes from kissing someone who has it; once you have it, you can transmit it, to mouths, genitals, etc, that you come in contact with. Some people might have one cold sore when they're 15, and never have a symptom again, but they still have it, through their whole life.

There are many reasons. First off, Did she just have an outbreak of something she previously had, or did she just contract it. You can get herpes other ways besides sex. She may have contracted it from your father. There are so many variables here, but my advice to you is not to worry about it. If it was from infidelity, They will need to work it out.

Honestly, I think you should talk to your mother about this instead of coming here and discussing with other people about such a personal issue involving your parents. It's sad that the line of communication is so broken between family members. Your mother is the only person who can answer the question of whether she cheated on your father or not. If it's THAT important to you, make it a priority to give your mother a chance to explain things to you. If it's an uncomfortable topic to discuss with your mother, then you probably should stay out of their business.

Your mother or father could of had a relationship before they met and got it by the other person. It can lay dormant in people for a while before people have an outbreak. Many pregnant women never know whether they have Herpes or Warts till they become pregnant due to the hormones.