Woman ‘contracts incurable disease' at karaoke bar after ‘holding microphone too close to her face'
A KARAOKE session turned into a night to forget for a reveller who claims to have contracted herpes while singing.
The woman from Zhejiang, China, believes to have caught the virus after getting too close to the mic.
2
There is no cure for herpes - it remains in the body for life
Credit: Getty
She said she noticed blisters forming around her lips after the night out.
Although they were 'extremely swollen, painful, and itchy', she didn't think too much of them as they subsided after taking medication.
However, the blisters resurfaced again which is how she eventually found out she had herpes.
She's certain to have contracted the virus from the microphone at the karaoke bar and decided to share her experience to warn others.
Read more on herpes
In a post on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, the unnamed woman said: '[I have to] carry this virus for life. There is no medication available to treat it. There is only medication to relieve the pain but the symptoms are recurring.'
She added the blisters have resurfaced repeatedly around her mouth and nose since the infamous night out in 2017 - and started appearing on her cheek this year.
The woman didn't reveal what type of herpes she caught but there are two main types.
HSV-1 is the kind that causes cold sores while HSV-2 typically causes
Most read in Health
There is no cure for either virus as once caught, they remain in the body for life.
Dr Crystal Wyllie at
Double dipping really CAN give you nasty bugs - including norovirus and herpes
She explained: "For someone to catch oral herpes from a microphone, someone with an active cold sore would have to speak or sing very closely to the microphone – leaving saliva or virus on the surface – and someone would then have to press the same contaminated area of the mic firmly against their lips.
"This also assumes the virus has survived outside of the body (on the microphone which is extremely uncommon for HSV – the virus responsible for cold sores)."
While the risk of catching herpes from a microphone is extremely unlikely, Dr Wyllie said if there is concern that someone with an active cold sore has used the microphone previously, you could avoid using it or wipe the microphone before use.
She added: "The most common way to catch oral herpes is direct skin-to-skin contact with someone with an active cold sore (or during their shedding phase which usually comes one to two days before before blisters show)."
According to recent figures, it's estimated around 70 per cent of the UK population carries the herpes simplex virus.
HSV-1 typically causes oral herpes, or cold sores, while HSV-2 usually causes
However, both types can infect either the mouth or genitals.
The most common symptom of HSV-1 is a cold sore, a painful blister that appears on the lips, around the mouth, or inside the mouth.
Other symptoms can include tingling, itching, or burning sensations before the blisters appear, as well as fever,
HSV-2 can manifest with a range of symptoms, from no noticeable symptoms to recurring outbreaks of painful blisters and sores.
Initial outbreaks often involve flu-like symptoms while recurring outbreaks tend to be less severe and shorter.
The best way to avoid HSV-1 is to avoid close contact with people who have active outbreaks, especially kissing or oral sex, and to practice good hygiene.
This includes avoiding sharing items like utensils, cups, and towels, and washing hands frequently, especially after touching a cold sore.
The most effective way to avoid HSV-2 is to practice safer sex, including consistently using condoms during all sexual activity, and avoiding sexual contact when symptoms like sores or outbreaks are present.
Reducing the number of sexual partners and getting tested for STIs also helps.
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The woman claims to have caught herpes from the microphone at a karaoke bar
Credit: Getty
Can herpes be treated?
WHILE there is no cure for herpes, treatment can help manage symptoms.
Antiviral medications, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir, can help reduce the duration and severity of outbreaks.
Other treatments may include pain relief medications and topical creams to soothe the sores.
The NHS also recommends things you can do at home to manage cold sores and genital herpes.
Cold sores
avoid anything that triggers your cold sores, such as sunbeds
use sunblock lip balm (SPF 15 or above) if you're outside in the sun
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease pain and swelling (liquid paracetamol is available for children) – do not give aspirin to children under 16
drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
Genital herpes
keep the area clean using plain or salt water to prevent blisters becoming infected
apply an ice pack wrapped in a flannel to soothe pain
apply petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) or painkilling cream (such as 5 per cent lidocaine) to reduce pain when you pee
wash your hands before and after applying cream or jelly
pee while pouring water over your genitals to ease the pain
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