[SallyintNorth]

There is a suggestion that there is a link between being susceptible to orf and having cold sores.  There is also a query as to whether being a cold sore sufferer mitigates the effect of an orf infection.

Please read the options carefully and choose the one closest to your situation.   The options are never, once badly, once mildly and more than once for orf, for each of being someone who does or does not have cold sores. 

Changing your vote is allowed because the options are so similar and it's easy to click the wrong one!

Each user is allowed two votes so we can also log results for our other halves if they are not TAS users themselves.

[robert waddell]

cold sores   develop when they body's immune system is at a low   or at least it seams to be with me      once you know the early signs you can prevent it from being a severe outbreak
cold sores are the same family as herpes  (i am led to believe)  and has to do with your genes  children from the same parents can be susceptible or not  and is not necessarily passed on

[BadgerFace]

I've only had orf once, age 17. Never had a cold sore until I was 32, still get cold sores but never caught orf again.

The OH, as far as I know has always suffered from cold sores, he's never had orf.

My daughter (age 19) has had orf once, and suffers from cold sores ! 



(ETA - would only let me vote once)

[kanisha]

My mother has cold sores and has always been extremely careful that we were never to kiss her when she had them I have never had a cold sore or orf for that matter.

[deepinthewoods]

arent cold sores herpes simplex??

[Fleecewife]

Orf is caused by 'a parapox virus' according to The Sheep Keepers Vet Handbook - not very specific.  Does anyone know just which virus?

ps I have shingles - does that count 

[robert waddell]

i think you will need to widen the questions by a good margin sally
first parapoxvirus is in grey squirrels and red deer get it  going by wikipedia
then it could be shortened to the pox which would widen the paramiters again
sorry fleecwife but shingles  is a herpes so widened again
the things you learn on this site just by somebody asking a question    it might not be usefull but you did not know it before

[SallyintNorth]

sorry fleecwife but shingles  is a herpes so widened again

Not right on that one robert.  Shingles is the chicken pox virus, it's varicella-zoster.

Hope you get better soon, Juliet.  I've had shingles and it HURTS. 

[SallyintNorth]

first parapoxvirus is in grey squirrels and red deer get it  going by wikipedia

I read that at first as, "red deer get it by going to wikipedia"    (which I just thought was a robert-ism, and very funny!  )

[robert waddell]

shingles    herpes zoster    maybe i am now skim reading

[Fleecewife]

Let's just forget I ever mentioned shingles   I only did because I'm being driven crazy by it - as you say Sally 'IT HURTS' (thank you for the sympathy  )

[robert waddell]

have a friend that has shingles    me i have had angina that was terrible   dislocated shoulder that was bloody painfull both getting it and the recovery      high blood pressure 2 weeks of 8 paracetamol a day  the only good point the sex was brilliant   six months after the doctor told me they are lucky to ever meet anybody with the blood pressure i had

[Hazelwood Flock]

I've never come accross shingles, don't even know what it is, but just the name sounds itchy!

[Lostlambs]

This may be getting away  from sheep but my neighbor swears she tried vagisil on her starting cold sore and it was gone the next morning

[hexhammeasure]

I don't want to be picky ... but shouldn't there be a selection for not being exposed to orf? or is it assumed that people would work out that it was only relevant to those with animals? another interesting point is... what is the likleyhood of orf in areas affected by grey squirrels?