Sexual Health STDs Herpes Is Chickenpox Herpes? How the Viruses (and Public Attitudes) Differ By Elizabeth Boskey, PhD facebook twitter linkedin Elizabeth Boskey, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a social worker, adjunct lecturer, and expert writer in the field of sexually transmitted diseases. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Boskey, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Keri Peterson, MD on October 01, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Keri Peterson, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and has her own private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Review Board Keri Peterson, MD Updated on December 01, 2020 Print Herpes is a highly stigmatized word and one that most people don't want to be associated with. That's why some people balk when they hear that chickenpox is a form of herpes. Not only that, the same herpes virus that causes chickenpox in children can also cause shingles in adults when it is reactivated. Does this mean all of these conditions can be referred to as "herpes?" MilosBataveljic / Getty Images About Herpes Viruses Herpesviridae is a group of viruses also described as herpes viruses. There are several herpes viruses that have different ways of targeting tissue in the body, but they each cause a blister-like rash that can spread. The name Herpeviridae is derived from the Greek word herpein, meaning "to creep." There are at least six different herpes viruses that commonly affect humans: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is the virus that causes chickenpox, typically during childhood, but it can affect teens and young adults.Herpes zoster virus is VZV that reactivates later in life to cause shingles.Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a virus that primarily causes cold sores. HSV-1 is can also cause genital herpes infections since the virus can be transmitted from mouth to genitals during oral sex.Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is the virus that is responsible for most cases of genital herpes and is almost always limited to the genital region.Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is the virus that causes mononucleosis. It has also been tentatively linked to some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that rarely causes disease in healthy people. However, a CMV infection can be serious in those who are immune-compromised, such as people with HIV. CMV infection can also be dangerous if transmitted to the baby during pregnancy. How to Know If You Have Herpes Making the Differentiation Often, when someone says that they have herpes, they mean that they have genital herpes. However, it is technically correct to refer to either genital herpes or oral herpes as herpes. By contrast, infections with the other types of herpes viruses are not clinically referred to as herpes. Although chickenpox, shingles, mononucleosis, and CMV retinitis are all caused by herpes viruses, they are not considered to be herpes in the usual sense of the word. The term "herpes" also suggests sexual transmission. It is why people refer to herpes on the lip as a "cold sore" and herpes on the vagina, penis, or anus as "genital herpes" even if the same virus is involved. Sexual transmission is one of the differentiating factors between chickenpox and herpes, as VZV is not sexually transmitted. Although sexual transmission is possible for EBV and CMV, they can be passed through other bodily fluids, such as saliva, tears, urine, blood, and breast milk. Due to the mode of transmission, something like a cold sore might be considered "innocent," while genital herpes often carries the stigma of blame. It is an attitude that reflects the general discomfort that many people have with sex and sexuality. Chickenpox Caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) Primarily affects children under the age of 10 The virus becomes latent after the initial infection but can reactive in later years as shingles Is not sexually transmitted Genital Herpes Caused mainly by HSV-2 but can also be spread from mouth to genitals with HSV-1 Affects sexually active teens and adults Can reactivate after the initial infection with occasional acute outbreaks Is sexually transmitted What You Need to Know to Prevent Herpes A Word From Verywell The stigma associated with herpes is one of the main reasons why many don't get treated and end up passing the virus to others. The same thing is seen with HIV and pretty much every other sexually transmitted infection. And the problem is growing. Genital herpes affects one in eight Americans between the ages of 14 and 49, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, an estimated 776,000 new infections occur each and every year. The question as to whether chickenpox and herpes are "the same thing" is not as important as asking ourselves why one makes us feel ashamed and the other doesn't? Are HPV and Genital Warts the Same Thing? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genital herpes - CDC fact sheet (detailed). Updated January 31, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Possible causes. Updated July 12, 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About cytomegalovirus (CMV). Updated June 17, 2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chickenpox (varicella) transmission. Updated December 31, 2018. McQuillan G, Kruszon-Moran D, Flagg EW, Paulose-Ram R. Prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in persons aged 14–49: United States, 2015–2016. In; NCHS Data Brief No. 304. February 2018. Additional Reading Bradley H, Markowitz LE, Gibson T, McQuillan GM. Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2--United States, 1999-2010. J Infect Dis. 2014 Feb 1;209(3):325-33. doi:10.1093/infdis/jit458. Gershon AA. Is chickenpox so bad, what do we know about immunity to varicella zoster virus, and what does it tell us about the future? J Infect. 2017 Jun;74 Suppl 1:S27-S33. doi:10.1016/S0163-4453(17)30188-3.