About one in six Americans aged 14 to 49 have type 2 herpes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both type 1 and type 2 herpes cause sores to appear. Type 1 herpes generally causes sores to appear in the oral region, and type 2 herpes causes sores to appear in the genital region. However, there are other diseases that may manifest symptoms.
Dermatitis
Dermatitis is a condition that causes painful swelling of the skin, notes MayoClinic.com. The condition can be caused by various factors. Dermatitis also has numerous variations. Contact dermatitis is a skin inflammation caused by exposure to irritants or to allergens, explains MayoClinic.com. Neurodermatitis is a recurring condition characterized by itching localized to particular patches of skin. Atopic dermatitis is also known as eczema. It causes a recurring itchy skin inflammation. Perioral dermatitis is a skin inflammation around the oral region.
Photodermatitis
Photodermatitis is an adverse reaction to ultraviolet ray exposure, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Photodermatitis causes sections of skin to become inflamed, or even develop a scaly texture and blister. This is an immune response to ultraviolet ray exposure. Additional symptoms can include the appearance of lesions, pain and even nausea and flu-like symptoms, the UMMC says.
Psoriasis
The condition known as psoriasis causes callouses to develop, according to the UMMC. An estimated 6 million Americans are afflicted with psoriasis, and the condition can strike people regardless of age. Experts believe psoriasis may be the result of an autoimmune reaction to elevated emotional stress levels. However, there are some doctors who think that genetics may also affect the likelihood that psoriasis occurs. The result is a build-up of calloused skin layers. The symptoms specific to psoriasis include elevated sections of affected skin, pus-filled blisters, itchiness and abnormally colored nails. Nevertheless, psoriasis may also cause pain in the joints, notes the UMMC. The joint pain is not a symptom typically associated with herpes.
Varicella-Zoster Virus
The varicella-zoster virus is the virus responsible for chickenpox and shingles, explains MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Chickenpox is the condition that occurs as a result of initial infection. The varicella-zoster virus lingers after the symptoms of chickenpox heal. Years later, the virus may manifest as shingles, explains MedlinePlus. The symptoms of shingles include the inflammation of sections of skin often accompanied by a burning or piercing pain and itchiness. The inflammation eventually develops into blisters, and the pain can last weeks after the other symptoms have healed. While there is no cure for shingles, it also isn't contagious.
