Can you get herpes from a needle i was under the understanding that herpes lives in the epidermis and is spread by direct contact. i also thought it was slightly possible to get herpes from sharing something such as a cigarette or a pipe as its indirect

The : The herpes virus is spread from by direct contact with the virus. This would be via any direct contact with a herpetic lesion, intimate contact with actively infected person, sharing drinking glass, lipstick, cigarette with a person with an active herpes ulcer on the mouth. The virus is not transmitted from a needle prick of an infected person. What is detected in the blood in persons with previous exposure to herpes is antibodies that are present when someone has been exposed to the virus in the past.

Herpes transmission: Herpes simplex virus is not so easily transmitted. Almost all cases of oral herpes in adults are acquired by intimate kissing, or maybe once in a while by casual (social) kissing, but probably never by needles and rarely if ever by sharing pipes, drinking glasses, etc. And genital herpes is acquired only by sex with an infected person.