A woman from Zhejiang, China, recently went viral on social media after sharing a cautionary tale on Douyin, claiming she contracted herpes simplex virus (HSV) after singing at a KTV karaoke lounge in 2017.
In her video, the woman said she had unknowingly placed her mouth too close to the microphone, which she now believes led to her infection.
Lifelong viral infection
She initially noticed painful blisters around her mouth shortly after the outing, but thought little of it.
It wasn’t until repeated flare-ups over the years that she discovered she had contracted HSV-1, a lifelong viral infection with no known cure.
At the time, I didn’t know what it was — just painful, itchy blisters,” she said. “It went away with anti-inflammatory medication, so I didn’t think much of it. But then it came back again, and again.”
Now eight years later, she says the blisters have continued to reappear around her mouth and nose, and this year even spread to her cheek.
She shared her story online to raise awareness and encourage better hygiene practices when using shared items like microphones in public venues.
Her post quickly gained traction and became a trending topic, with many netizens shocked by the possible risk of infection from seemingly harmless activities.
Experts Weigh In
According to a report by The Cover, Dr. Liu Miao, a dermatologist at Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, confirmed that such infections can occur, particularly through direct contact with virus-carrying secretions or contaminated surfaces.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is divided into two main types:
- HSV-1: Commonly transmitted via oral secretions and direct skin contact, usually causing cold sores or oral herpes.
- HSV-2: Typically associated with genital herpes and spread through sexual contact.
Dr. Liu noted that the severity of symptoms varies depending on the strain and site of infection.
Symptoms during infection
For oral herpes, patients often experience blisters or ulcers around the lips and mouth, sometimes accompanied by fever, sore throat, or swollen lymph nodes.
In genital infections, painful blisters or ulcers may appear around the genital or anal area, with possible symptoms like itching, pain during urination, or burning sensations.
Some people might not show any symptoms during their first infection but can still be contagious,” Dr. Liu warned.
“Recurring outbreaks are also common. They tend to be milder, often reappearing in the same area, and typically last between 7 to 10 days.”
As of now, herpes simplex remains an incurable virus. While antiviral medications can reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks, they cannot completely eliminate the virus from the body.
