Herpes is contagious to others. There are three types of herpes that are often referred to as herpes. The first is perioral herpes simplex, which is infected by herpes simplex virus type I and is spread mainly through direct contact and respiratory tract. Sharing a room with a patient or using a mouth cup or towel can put you at risk of infection. The second type is genital herpes, which is infected by herpes simplex virus type II and is spread mainly through sexual and indirect contact. Having sex with the patient or sharing a bath tub, underwear, towels, etc. can put you at risk of infection. The third category is herpes zoster, which is caused by varicella-zoster virus infection and is relatively less contagious, but can be contracted through direct contact with herpes fluid. As you can see from the above, herpes has a high and low level of contagiousness, but all are contagious and should be protected.