Yes. You can shed the virus even when no active sores are present on the genitalia. It's why the virus is widespread as it is.
If you are both infected, obviously reinfecting each other is out the window. Moving forward, you would want to take the necessary precautions because you can spread the virus to somebody not infected. It's worth thinking about if you decide to pursue relationships outside of this individual. Antiviral therapy can be an option, as using conforms and daily suppressive therapy can decrease shedding (transmitting) pretty significantly.
You say your results came back positive for HSV... what kind of test? Did the doctor take a culture (a swab or scrape) from the ulcers or was it a blood test?
I ask because if this was a new HSV infection, and I'm guessing it is, your blood would not be positive yet...not for a few more weeks, at the VERY least. If it was a blood test, please make sure the doctor tells you which type. If your blood is positive for type 1 (and most likely it is) that means you've had oral HSV1, which most of us have (over 65% of Americans). That would also mean that this outbreak is almost guaranteed to be HSV2
And no, it's not common for guys to not show symptoms. What IS VERY common is for a guy (or anyone) to experience outbreaks so slight and seemingly benign that they do not associate them with any STD (often times an outbreak can manifest as something as insignificant as an itch).
Thank you for your response. I have just been so worried that I was somehow a silent carrier and it just popped up but it seems so unlikely and so textbook that it actually did come from him so I am not as worried now. It is normal for guys not to show symptoms sometimes, correct?
Based on the information provided I would high suggest you contracted a new HSV2 infection. Indeed, this sounds textbook.
I doubt this is an HSV1 infection if oral was as described. Please make sure the test he did complete was an IGG antibody test for both types. You say recommended, but sometimes doctors diagnose patients through IGM testing and this is NOT accurate.
Make sure it's IGG and clearly typed. You have a new infection and I can assure you he is the carrier if as described.
There was a brief moment of oral sex one time (less than 30 seconds), thought I feel that it was HSV2 that I was exposed to. When I received my results they were not typed so I told him to get his typed. I don't know if the lab did an IgM or IgG on him. Isn't the IgG the recommended and most likely one that he received? So it is normal that he wouldn't have shown any symptoms?
Sorry for all of the questions and thank you so much for your help!
I would suggest the chances of you just being infected are very, very high. I have almost no doubts he will test positive for HSV. It is textbook.
Was there plenty of oral sex involved here? If so then HSV1 is a big chance given how common it is.
It is responsible of him to test and share results with you, good for him, helps with your diagnosis. Make sure though that he has IgG antibodies for HSV1 and HSV2. No other test is conclusive.