Percentage of People with Genital HSV1 and no Symptoms

[Liveup]

How common is it to have HSV1 on your genitals and show zero symptoms?

It seems like if you have had a cold sore and have had at least one risky sexual experience, you could potentially have HSV1 on their genitals and not know it.

Thank you!

[RX2001]

^* Blisters

* that Q was for Grace

[RX2001]

When you say know it?? You mean blusters and all? Pain, blisters or bluster? Not just some random dry patch of skin?

[teddybear68]

I have genital HSV-1, and I DEFINITELY knew it.  I had extremely painful blisters.  It was so painful I could not urinate without it feeling like I was passing daggers, same with having a bowel movement.  The initial outbreak lasted 2 weeks.  I was on acyclovir the whole time and nothing alleviated the pain.  There were large craters in my skin with pus.  I also had pain going down my leg.  I think that was when the virus attacked the neuron.  If you read up about herpes, the virus will travel to the neuron and lay dormant there.  BUT - after the initial outbreak, I had nothing.  The blisters healed without any scars, and it looks like nothing had ever happened.  Since then, I have never had any outbreaks, to my knowledge.  I got this almost 4 years ago.  I am a 33 year old female.  Just wanted to share what my symptoms looked and felt like, so you'll know how noticeable it was.  This was not something I could have ignored.  I was incapacitated for 2 weeks.

[gracefromHHP]

no there are not. hsv1 genitally doesn't shed much so studying it isn't as easy as studying hsv2 is.

[Liveup]

Yes; I was confused and thought the 20% stat applied to type one and two.

So, to recap: it is very rare to have genital type one and be truly asyptomatic? Are there any concrete numbers on how rare?

Thank you!

[gracefromHHP]

I'm assuming you are referring to that 20% of folks who have hsv2 have no idea they have it because they are truly asymptomatic in their infections?  that's a hsv2 stat, not a hsv1 genital stat.  

Folks who have hsv1 genitally and don't know it, tend to be because they were misdiagnosed when they were infected, not that they didn't have symptoms.

[Liveup]

Thank you for your response.

What you're saying confirms what I've read and heard from Planned Parenthood but I guess I'm still a bit confused. Here is why: I thought that 20% of people with HSV are carriers or something like that. If that's true wouldn't it just be that 20% number for the number of people who have genital HSV1 but don't know it? (I am referring to people who would have just gotten HSV for the first time).  

Thank you,
Joseph

[gracefromHHP]

if you have a cold sore, you aren't likely to contract hsv1 genitally later on.  

most folks who contract hsv1 genitally have very obvious genital symptoms because it means they didn't have any previous hsv virus in their body to take the "edge" off of infection.  the vast majority of people who contract hsv1 genitally are going to know it.

grace

[loz23]

pretty much yep :)