What Are The Odds of Contracting Herpes Through Asymptomatic Shedding?

[chris_uk2009]

Hi,

I'm quite confused (and concerned) about the risks of getting Herpes from someone who may be asymptomatic. From reading up online, and from asking various sexual health advisors, there seems to be a number of different answers; some say the risk is fairly low, some say the odds of a man contracting herpes asymptomatically from a woman is about 4-5%, some say asymptomatic shedding only happens a few days a year, whilst some say the risk is the same as someone who has visible sores/blisters. I've also been told that if I have HSV-1, I should have the antibodies present to combat HSV-2, which would mean that I wouldn't see any symptoms if even if someone did give me the virus?

Whilst I've always had protected sex in the past (apart from one girlfriend of 18 months), I'm still concerned about how easy it would be to contract such a disease, as the last thing I would want is to have herpes and be passing it on unknowingly...

My healthcare provider offers a blood test for herpes, which I will be taking next week just to put my mind at rest, but if anyone could shed any light on the subject, that'd be great.

Please help!

[daisy315]

Herpes is a very variable condition therefore does not always present itself in exactly the same way for every individual some people in fact are totally unaware they have the virus because they have never had any symptoms whatsoever and find out purely by accident,there have been couples whereby one is HSV+ and the other HSV- for the entire duration of their relationships/marriages and the virus has not transmitted,on the other hand there are people who have contacted it from a single episode of unprotected sex,so the bottom line is you can only do your best to avoid contracting HSV and any other STD by using Condoms all the time until you are in a committed relationship whereby you 100% know your partners status I'm afraid short of total abstinence there is no guarantee where Herpes is concerned but you cannot live your life with deep seated fear forevermore many many people have either HSV1 or HSV2 or in fact both ..... Practising safe sex is the best you can do to avoid Herpes as well as other STD's ......  
Herpes is fraught with If's But's and Maybe's ......

Daisy