std's

Doctor,
how long does it take for the transmission of the herpes virus #2 to appear on one's genitial area to know if they have been infected?.   And were they infected before the last sexual encounter or are they infected by there last encounter?


This discussion is related to Herpes, Ingrown Hairs?.

[auntiejessi]

This isn't the doctor's forum, but I can tell you that typically, symptoms will appear within 2-20 days, but that's not a hard guideline.

The only way to know if you were infected from a previous encounter is to get a type specific IgG herpes blood test.  If it comes back negative, and you've had a positive culture, then its a new infection for you.  

If it comes back positive, then its not a new infection.  The tricky part here is timing.  It can take up to 4 months to show positive, but some will within a few weeks.

You could also ask your partners to test, and if your current or most recent partner is negative, then you didn't get it then.

AJ