Incredible, but true - Cold sores and fever blisters happen to be a world wide epidemic since before Christ. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 90% of world's population is infected with the cold sore virus now. Many viruses come and go but the herpes virus is by using you for life. This is a really tough virus, having survived nearly unchanged for over 2150 years. Yes - this is a lifetime virus, but it's not life threatening.