Spreading HSV-1

[girl3601]

I was recently diagnosed with genital hsv-1. I know that i contracted it from my last boyfriend thru oral sex.  I would like to start dating again but I am concerned about spreading it to others.  What are the odds of passing the disease on to a new partner since so many more people are exposed to HSV-1 as children? Is valtrex an effective treatment for HSV-1. I have only had 1 outbreak ( the original one in Feb) and I am currently not taking anything. However, I would begin some sort of treatment if it helped to stop this disease from spreading.

[auntiejessi]

Here is a good article for you.  Its written by Terri Warren, one of the leading experts on herpes.

http://blogs.webmd.com/genital-herpes-intimate-conversations/2006/02/type-i-herpes-transmission.html

Aj

[Emma_08]

You raise a good point - many people are immune to getting HSV-1 genitally because they have already acquired an oral infection during childhood (about 50-60% of the US population!)  If you become intimate with a new partner, that person could always test for HSV and see if he already has HSV-1.  However, HSV-1 is generally less frequent and severe than HSV-2.  Outbreaks and asymptomatic viral shedding do not occur as often.  This means that it is less likely that your partner will become infected with HSV-1 than if you had an HSV-2 infection.  HSV-1 is transmitted genitally mostly through oral sex.  Most people with HSV-1 don't need to take suppressive therapy because they do not have frequent outbreaks (some only have a few during their life), but I suppose if you were having symptoms, Valtrex could help.  You should discuss this with a herpes-knowlegeable provider.
Good luck,
Em