Where does the herpes virus live in the body?
The herpes simplex viruses are latent. After the initial infection, the virus gets into the nerve roots and spreads to the sensory nerve ganglia. The ganglia are the nerve junctions in which nerves from different parts of the body come together. For the genital area, the ganglia are adjacent to the spinal cord in the lower back. For orofacial herpes (cold sores), the ganglia are located behind the cheek bone.