There are two major problems we are facing with genital herpes today. One is the lack of testing leaving many people infected without knowing it. The other is the ignorance by many people of just how widespread it is making it all the more likely this incredibly annoying disease is not going to go away any time soon. Those who are sexually active and especially with multiple partners are all at risk.
Unfortunately, genital herpes is not curable, only symptomatically treatable. Many people don't even know they have it. They may have only had one outbreak years ago and mistaken it for something else.
A friend of mine had a scare when a woman he had been seeing for several years (not exclusively) told me after he had had sex with her recently that she thought she was having a genital outbreak and he may have been exposed. She told him she had it years ago one time and took something like Valtrex and got rid of it and had never had a recurrence until recently. She was under the false impression that that meant she was no longer putting others at risk of passing it along.
Some quick facts on HSV (Herpes):
About 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 of those in the US over age 12 test positive for HSV 2 with a blood test that accurately distinguishes between HSV 1 and 2. The scary part is out of those who are positive, only 1 in 10 knew it before they were tested.
70% of new herpes infections are transmitted from someone showing no symptoms at the time they infected their partner.
For women, a negative pap smear for herpes doesn't mean she isn't infected.
The current test known as herpes select is a blood test that accurately distinguishes between types 1 and 2 and is available through the major labs Quest and Labcorp.
A positive test doesn't indicate when you got it only that you do have it.
It's also important to know it can take several months after exposure for you to test positive. So those who have multiple partners or move from partner to partner frequently are putting themselves and their partners at a much higher risk.
A study on risk produced the following facts:
The risk is about 10% per year that an infected male will transmit HSV 2 to an uninfected female. That is, if 100 infected men were having one-on-one sex with 100 uninfected women, about 10 women would get infected per year. It's a little less likely for a woman to pass it to a man - about 4 men out of 100 will get it.
This study was based on no condom use, no sex during herpes outbreaks and no use of daily herpes medications.
Talking about STDs can take all the spontaneity and romance out of sex. Talk about a mood killer. But rather you kill the mood than get something that'll kill you. Or better yet, get all this unpleasant talk out of the way long before getting physical with somebody.
If you've been having your fun and have managed to avoid catching it, don't forget, the next new partner you hook up with may be carrying it and pass it to you without knowing it until after the fact.
When you are out there whether it's on dating sites or where ever you are meeting a sexual partner, many people claim they are STD free and tested regularly. While that may be true, what most people don't realize is that it usually only means they get tested for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and maybe warts (which are easy to spot). Unless you specifically request a herpes test, you most likely didn't get tested for it. This is something that should really be addressed in the public health arena.
A majority of the population has HSV 1 known as the cold sore virus. This can passed orally to give someone genital herpes type HSV 1. HSV 2 can't be passed genitally to oral, only genital to genital. A person can have one and not the other, or they can have both. However, HSV 1 doesn't turn into HSV 2 or visa versa. Having one type doesn't make you immune to getting the other.
So, to summarize, HSV 1 can be transferred orally to genital or genital to genital. HSV 2 is only transferred genital to genital.
***UPDATE***I recently discussed this with a dermatologist who informed me that we're still not for sure on whether HSV 2 can be transmitted from genital to oral. So it looks like things aren't figured out yet. Your best bet is to keep your immune system strong though healthy lifestyle choices and being careful out there. Sorry spontaneity is exciting, but it can also result in some unfortunate consequences.
Herpes testing should be made mandatory as part of your annual blood work testing if you are sexually active - not just HIV. although hsv isn't fatal, it still carries a social stigma with it.
Finally, a natural effective herpes treatment that actually works and won't break the bank.
