Eighteen year hiding?

[howcanitbe]

Is it possible that HSV1 virus stays dormant in the body for about 18 years without showing ANY symptoms at all and shows up suddenly in the genital area? My husband had a small kissing encounter with his classmate in school. Eight years later we got married and he has never had any other sexual relationship ever, and neither have I, except with each other. He had itching and redness in the glans and prepuce(10 yrs after marriage), last year. He showed it to a doctor who prescribed an antifungal cream and it was gone for a week. Later he had painful leisions at the same place and this time he went to the urologist who suspected genital herpes - HSV2. It seems so unbelievable that he could have contracted type 2, since all the literature i have been reading in various sites and at this forum suggest that a toilet seats canot be a culprit. I myself had a miscarriage while in New York, and D&E was done in 2005 at the New York Presbytarian. It is a world known hospital and I am hence not considering that episode as the culprit. Then the only remaining option is the 18 year hiding of the type 1 virus. The urologist also did a biopsy (but 3 days after the appointment and after also starting acyclovir 800), and even the blood tests -IgG and IgM were done 3 days later. The resuls were negative for both the types, and biopsy did not confirm herpes, but a viral infection. But the urologist still maintans that it is Herpes.
We have a 1 yr old daughter and we want to plan another pregnancy . The urologist says that as long as he is taking medication, we can safely concieve. Many other sites say that there is no guarantee, and a person can shed the virus asymptomatically any time, and even not in the same place.
So I have a couple of questions now.
1. Can the virus hide for 18 years? During this period he has been in bad stressful situations and also compromised immune system quite a few times already.
2. If he has type 1 virus, then even  a minor cut on my hand can get infected with herpes Type 1? Is it possible also that a type 2 virus is capable of infecting a minor cut on my body from his saliva?
3. If the shedding takes place at another site, what kinds of sites can they be? - any skin part that perspires? any of his minor cuts on any part of his body? or the saliva and the genital region?
4. HOw do we confirm now if he or me really has Herpes or not? the redness recurs but there are no pains or leisions. When would be the right time for a blood test then? I myself have never had any symptoms then is my internal exam necessary or just an IgG would suffice?
5. Is acyclovir in both our systems safe when trying to conceive?

PLease help me!

[howcanitbe]

oh!

[gracefromHHP]

About 1/3 of us have hsv1 orally by the time we start kindergarten. It's something that we can easily pick up as children.

Acyclovir has no effects on sperm or conception.

grace

[howcanitbe]

Thankyou  gracefromHHP, for your detailed reply. We will see if the symptoms recur after stopping acyclovir and get that rechecked for hsv. Also my IgG is also pending, and I hope we can be sure of the type of virus to decide further course of action. Since I have never kissed anyone except my husband, I cannot be sure how I got hsv 1 in the first place. Hence I had a doubt if the virus could have stayed dormant in my husband's body for sooo many years before a first outbreak and show up, even after going through stress and compromised immune system many times, eighteen years later.

This question is for grace and everybody who knows :
We want to have a second child and I was also wondering if in your knowledge, is being on supressive medication like acyclovir or any other have any effects on sperm morphology and motility and my conceiving.

Thanks a lot.

[gracefromHHP]

A visual diagnosis of genital herpes is wrong 1/3 of the time even by season practioners who see herpes frequently.  Your husband's doctor needs to start basing his diagnosis on actual testing and not just what he feels it is at this point.

No - neither of you picked up genital herpes from a hospital or any other place. It's called a std because you have to have sex to get it.

Definitely at this point you need to get yourself a type specific igg blood test to see what your status is. I assume that you and your hubby have enjoyed oral sex at some point - you  could have hsv1 orally and transmitted it to his genital area even if you can't recall any cold sores in yourself ( that's if indeed your hubby even has genital herpes ).  If you test + for hsv1 on your blood test then there's no need to worry. If he has it genitally and you have it orally - it's not an issue for the two of you.   I also recommend that your husband stop his acyclovir if he's on it suppressively ( where you take a dose every single day long term ) and should he get a return of any genital symptoms he see his provider within 24-48 hours of their appearance for a repeat lesion culture and typing.  If it's hsv1 genitally it's not likely to reoccur anyways. If he cultures + for hsv2 and you test negative for it - then he's got some explaining to do.  If your hubby doesn't get any obvious genital lesions within the next several months he should consider repeating his herpes igg blood test anyways just to see if there are any changes.  

grace