The epstein-barr virus (otherwise known as human herpes virus type 4) usually causes mononucleosis. However, for immunocompromised individuals, it can actually cause infected cells to divide out of control and lead to cancerous tumours.

But German scientists have now identified what causes the virus to end its latency stage and become active again, which is the first step in finding a way to keep the virus in check before it gets to this dangerous stage.

It's a question we get a lot in the forums – "If my partner had cold sores and gave me oral sex, could I get genital herpes?" The answer is absolutely YES. The herpes virus can easily be transferred by skin to skin contact, and this is no exception. The only slight difference between having HSV-1 (usually cold sores) on your genitals and having HSV-2 (usually genital herpes), is that with HSV-1, the initial outbreak may be terrible, but subsequent outbreaks may not be as severe as they might be with HSV-2.

While both types of herpes are subject to internal triggers – think stress, illness, a weekend of poor diet and/or too much alcohol – HSV-1 (cold sores around the mouth) can be especially vulnerable to external triggers because they're right out in the open. Luckily, once you know about some of these, you'll be able to protect your face from these outbreak triggers:

Dutch scientists have found a direct link between HSV and the severe mental condition schizophrenia. They found that during psychotic episodes, patients simultaneously showed signs in the brain of an active herpes outbreak.