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Why it's not recommended to test for herpes if you have no symptoms at all?
Hello, I'm curious about trying to understand the reason behind not recommending testing for HSV if you present no symptoms.
I know HSV-1 is so widely spread that by the time we are 50 it's 90% sure we will have it anyways and that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are practically identical, they just rely on different locations. So HSV-1 by oral sex could lead to genital herpes anyways and viceversa.
But I don't quite understand why CDC and most of GYN don't recommend testing for it unless you have symptoms or another condition that might need that diagnosis.
I know HSV-1 is so widely spread that by the time we are 50 it's 90% sure we will have it anyways and that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are practically identical, they just rely on different locations. So HSV-1 by oral sex could lead to genital herpes anyways and viceversa.
But I don't quite understand why CDC and most of GYN don't recommend testing for it unless you have symptoms or another condition that might need that diagnosis.
I think the primary reason is $$$
It's seen as a problem that should be avoided but to the medical community it isn't a risk.
Personally, I'm outraged to learn that there aren't ANY screening recommendations for men that have sex with women--period. The CDC expects all the people having sex with the men to do all of the screening, and thus all of the disclosure also!
It's seen as a problem that should be avoided but to the medical community it isn't a risk.
Personally, I'm outraged to learn that there aren't ANY screening recommendations for men that have sex with women--period. The CDC expects all the people having sex with the men to do all of the screening, and thus all of the disclosure also!
1 Comments
Those aren't the reasons. Herpes exoerts are split on routine testing. The argument for not testing in the absence of symptoms is the posibility of false positives. Nothing to do with money.
The reason is hsv testing isn't perfect. Hsv1 igg tests can miss 25% of infections. Hsv2 tests are very sensitive and low false positives are relatively common.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
