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HSV-1 transmission
My girlfriend recently found out she has HSV-1; I have been seeing her for the last couple of months but since this is a long distance relationship, I have met her once only and we had intercourse several times (protected)
Her last outbreak(genital) was almost 4-5 years ago and she hasn't had any since. Do I need to be worried? Can we have unprotected sex in the future if we get married?
Her last outbreak(genital) was almost 4-5 years ago and she hasn't had any since. Do I need to be worried? Can we have unprotected sex in the future if we get married?
we've had other shedding studies that show different results and show that indeed, the more you swab, the more shedding is detected. not unusual for hsv1 not to be shedding during just 2 months of swabbing either due to it's low rate of shedding.
The actual study results from the University of washington:
Frequency of Subclinical Shedding of HSV
Of the 110 women, 56 (51 percent) had at least one day of subclinical reactivation of HSV. Subclinical shedding of HSV was identified in 36 of the 65 women with HSV-2 infection (55 percent), 16 of the 31 with both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection (52 percent), and 4 of the 14 with HSV-1 infection alone (29 percent). Overall, subclinical shedding was documented on 2.0 percent of the days in women with genital HSV-2 and 0.7 percent of the days in those with genital HSV-1 (Table 1). Among the women, shedding occurred on 0 to 35 percent of days sampled (Fig. 1). The rate of detection of subclinical reactivation reflected the number of days on which samples were obtained. Sixty-three percent of the women who provided specimens for up to 60 days without having lesions never had subclinical shedding, as compared with 39 percent of the women who provided samples for more than 60 days. Table 2 shows the rates of subclinical shedding for 64 women who provided samples for at least 60 days. The 60-day duration of sampling was selected to eliminate both falsely low and falsely high rates of shedding due to short periods of sampling. Thirty-five of 54 HSV-2–seropositive women (65 percent) had subclinical shedding during a median sampling period of 106 days (range, 61 to 425), whereas 19 women (35 percent) did not have viral shedding despite a median sampling period of 97 days (range, 63 to 307). Eleven percent had shedding on more than 5 percent of the days on which samples were obtained. The rate of subclinical shedding was similar in the HSV-2–seropositive women and those who were seropositive for both HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Virologic Characteristics of Subclinical Shedding
Subclinical shedding occurred on 32 percent of the total days when viral shedding was detected. Of the 128 episodes of subclinical shedding, 96 (75 percent) lasted for one day, 18 (14 percent) for two days, 7 (5.5 percent) for three days, and 7 (5.5 percent) for four or more days. The durations of clinically recognized and unrecognized episodes of viral shedding are shown in Table 3. Analysis of the data with use of an alternative definition, according to which days without culture results were treated as positive, revealed a similar pattern; 70 percent of the episodes of unrecognized shedding of HSV lasted one day, 15 percent two days, 4 percent three days, and 11 percent four days or longer. Subclinical shedding occurred at all the anatomical sites sampled. The rates of isolation of HSV from cultures of samples obtained on days when genital lesions were absent were 0.7 percent for the vulva, 0.7 percent for the cervix, and 1.1 percent for the rectum. Nineteen of 56 women who had subclinical shedding (34 percent) shed the virus from more than one site on the same day. The HSV subtype was the same on all days on which HSV was isolated from more than one site. Shedding from more than one site occurred on 32 of 186 culture-positive days (17 percent). The most common sites of dual shedding were the vulva and cervix, which accounted for 19 days. Other episodes of shedding from multiple sites involved the vulva and rectum (nine days), the cervix and rectum (two days), or all three sites (two days).
Frequency of Subclinical Shedding of HSV
Of the 110 women, 56 (51 percent) had at least one day of subclinical reactivation of HSV. Subclinical shedding of HSV was identified in 36 of the 65 women with HSV-2 infection (55 percent), 16 of the 31 with both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection (52 percent), and 4 of the 14 with HSV-1 infection alone (29 percent). Overall, subclinical shedding was documented on 2.0 percent of the days in women with genital HSV-2 and 0.7 percent of the days in those with genital HSV-1 (Table 1). Among the women, shedding occurred on 0 to 35 percent of days sampled (Fig. 1). The rate of detection of subclinical reactivation reflected the number of days on which samples were obtained. Sixty-three percent of the women who provided specimens for up to 60 days without having lesions never had subclinical shedding, as compared with 39 percent of the women who provided samples for more than 60 days. Table 2 shows the rates of subclinical shedding for 64 women who provided samples for at least 60 days. The 60-day duration of sampling was selected to eliminate both falsely low and falsely high rates of shedding due to short periods of sampling. Thirty-five of 54 HSV-2–seropositive women (65 percent) had subclinical shedding during a median sampling period of 106 days (range, 61 to 425), whereas 19 women (35 percent) did not have viral shedding despite a median sampling period of 97 days (range, 63 to 307). Eleven percent had shedding on more than 5 percent of the days on which samples were obtained. The rate of subclinical shedding was similar in the HSV-2–seropositive women and those who were seropositive for both HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Virologic Characteristics of Subclinical Shedding
Subclinical shedding occurred on 32 percent of the total days when viral shedding was detected. Of the 128 episodes of subclinical shedding, 96 (75 percent) lasted for one day, 18 (14 percent) for two days, 7 (5.5 percent) for three days, and 7 (5.5 percent) for four or more days. The durations of clinically recognized and unrecognized episodes of viral shedding are shown in Table 3. Analysis of the data with use of an alternative definition, according to which days without culture results were treated as positive, revealed a similar pattern; 70 percent of the episodes of unrecognized shedding of HSV lasted one day, 15 percent two days, 4 percent three days, and 11 percent four days or longer. Subclinical shedding occurred at all the anatomical sites sampled. The rates of isolation of HSV from cultures of samples obtained on days when genital lesions were absent were 0.7 percent for the vulva, 0.7 percent for the cervix, and 1.1 percent for the rectum. Nineteen of 56 women who had subclinical shedding (34 percent) shed the virus from more than one site on the same day. The HSV subtype was the same on all days on which HSV was isolated from more than one site. Shedding from more than one site occurred on 32 of 186 culture-positive days (17 percent). The most common sites of dual shedding were the vulva and cervix, which accounted for 19 days. Other episodes of shedding from multiple sites involved the vulva and rectum (nine days), the cervix and rectum (two days), or all three sites (two days).
please just keep your comments supportive rather than guessing at info.
Everyone who has herpes simplex virus sheds periodically. I have no idea where you came up with the 25% never shed at all info.
also we don't have transmission stats for hsv1 either.
grace
Everyone who has herpes simplex virus sheds periodically. I have no idea where you came up with the 25% never shed at all info.
also we don't have transmission stats for hsv1 either.
grace
actually we don't have transmission stats for hsv1 genitally. Hsv1 genitally tends not to reoccur very often plus is doesn't shed much.
have you been tested yet to know your own status?
grace
have you been tested yet to know your own status?
grace
Even though there are no breakouts it doesn't mean the virus isn't shedding. That being said, you only have a slight chance (<3% per year) of catching it even without condoms, as long as you don't have sex during breakouts if she has any. Honestly, if I was getting married to someone with GHSV1 I would just forget about it and live my life condom and worry free. GHSV1 rarely sheds (I think 25% never shed at all), is rarely passed on, rarely breaks out once the initial stage is passed. I just couldn't be bothered to worry about it while having sex with the person I'm going to spend my life with. It just would not be an issue in my life.
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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.
