Cold Sore, Cold Soul? An Examination of Orolabial Herpes in Film

Abstract

The sociocultural phenomenon of herpes is attributed to two strains of the herpes simplex virus: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) causes orolabial cold sores while herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is typically identified in genital lesions, though both viruses may cause clinically similar signs and symptoms anywhere in or on the body. While these infections are extremely prevalent and typically benign, media sources such as film have perpetuated a negative public perception of the disease. Thus, a large portion of society continues to associate these conditions with sexual misconduct and moral failing. Despite decades of available antiviral therapy to shorten and suppress outbreaks, movies continue to exploit herpes for degradation and for humor. Portrayal of genital herpes in films is avoided in order to avert unnecessary and grotesque nude scenes, so depictions of cold sores are preferred. This article analyzes the use of orolabial herpes lesions in selected English language films released from 1984-2012.

Keywords

• herpes
• herpes labial
• herpes febril
• piel
• cine
• estigmatización