Herpes simplex virus is not a immuno-deficency, or auto-immune disease, its a virus thats one can get by being in direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
its important to make the difference between herpes simplex Virus and CD ulcers in the mouth, lips... They can really look alike and have similar history. Its easy to make the diagnosis with a lesion sample at any doctors office.
with herpes, it usually starts with a major first outbreak at primo-infection (when you get infected by the virus- this could be from a kiss or sexual contact) The subsequent relapses are usually more minor. The severity and occurence tends to lower over years and in many cases even become completly asymptomatic. However, even if a person becomes asymptomatic, caution remains as the virus comes back to skin a few days a year without causing visible lesions. This is called asymptomatic excretion (french term). At this moment, the person can be contagious without knowing it, and infection by the virus is possible.
stress, hormones changes (in women, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, giving birth, etc) can trigger flares.