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Partner with HSV 1 HSV 2 risk
I am a male and a female I am interested in dating was forthcoming about having HSV type 1 and 2 with outbreaks having only occurred orally. They have not up to this point experienced a genital outbreak. I am only stating the facts and do not know if they are relevant to my questions.
I am posting on this forum to better understanding what I am dealing with in this circumstance should I choose to date this person. What is the likelihood that I am infected? Is transmission only possible during outbreaks? Can it be passed from kissing in the absence of an outbreak? Is there medication that I or my would be partner can take to prevent transmission?
I am trying to educate myself so I thank you in advance for any input that will enable me to weigh my options.
I am posting on this forum to better understanding what I am dealing with in this circumstance should I choose to date this person. What is the likelihood that I am infected? Is transmission only possible during outbreaks? Can it be passed from kissing in the absence of an outbreak? Is there medication that I or my would be partner can take to prevent transmission?
I am trying to educate myself so I thank you in advance for any input that will enable me to weigh my options.
Understood, in your case then the comment about probably passing hsv-2 to your partner would make sense.
I was thinking that with condom use, along with Valtrex and abstinence during outbreaks, if the 4% average annual transmission data is accurate, it would be very unlikely that a source partner would pass HSV-2 along. A 4 in 100 chance, or 4% would equate to a scenario that is 96% unlikely to occur.
I was thinking that with condom use, along with Valtrex and abstinence during outbreaks, if the 4% average annual transmission data is accurate, it would be very unlikely that a source partner would pass HSV-2 along. A 4 in 100 chance, or 4% would equate to a scenario that is 96% unlikely to occur.
Because the pills don't guarantee anything. Valtrex doesn't even slow my outbreaks down. I get them monthly no matter what. And even with condoms there is skin to skin contact still. But we don't use condoms much anyways. We want a family.
If you continue to use condoms and daily suppressive therapy how can you say that he will "probably" contract it? If the percentages on average according to most posters is %4 or lower annually then wouldn't that equate to it being improbable? 4% annually would be considered improbable statistically.
You seem extremely worried which is understandable. No I do not think that papercut like cut on your face is herpes. Trust me, you KNOW when you have it. I recently contracted hsv-2 in February. My partner didn't know he had it as he never showed any symptoms. I however have a weak immune system, so low and behold I contracted it and had an awful outbreak. I started seeing someone new a few months after. I did not straight out tell him I had it because I was still going through the tests, and that's also not something you talk about the first date. We did not have sex for a while. Unfortunately I tested falsely negative the first month of our relationship, so we had unprotected sex. The second month I tested positive. I went back to the doc because I had strange lesions again. I had to explain to him everything, and he accepted me. We really did fall in love quick. I never thought I would find someone who would accept me for this disease, but he did. 3 months into our relationship he went to get tested, and he didn't get a callback, which means he is in the clear. So some people get lucky I guess. You can try to prevent your partner from getting hsv by using condoms, or trying repressive therapy such as valtrex, though that does not guarantee that hsv will not be transmitted. Even when there is not an outbreak, there is a chance. But I have been having sex for 3 months and my partner still has not contracted it. He does however accept the fact that he will probably contract it.
Yes I agree and am trying to get a handle on it. Is the scratch/papercut near my nose/cheek a symptom in your opinion?
Ok. I may be getting paranoid but today I had an issue. Ive had a runny nose so I admittedly have been running my hands and fingers across the region on my face slightly below and to the right of my right nostril. I very well could have irritated it or scratched myself.
Anyways, this afternoon out of no where I had a little scratch in this area of my face. It looked like a very small nail scratch or paper cut. I noticed it after going to the bathroom. I don't know if I scratched myself while wiping my nose but I am very worried. Does a small scratch on the face sound like it could be herpes? There were no bumps or anything in that area. Please help.
Anyways, this afternoon out of no where I had a little scratch in this area of my face. It looked like a very small nail scratch or paper cut. I noticed it after going to the bathroom. I don't know if I scratched myself while wiping my nose but I am very worried. Does a small scratch on the face sound like it could be herpes? There were no bumps or anything in that area. Please help.
you are actually hijacking this posters thread with this. you can start your own post with questions.
grace
grace
I obviously miscounted... that number should be 41 transmissions. Sorry!
Grace, I read the article; thank you for this.
One thing that I think should be mentioned is that the results they got for condom usage were less than helpful (unless I'm reading them incorrectly of course; I dont think I am). Firstly, their subset of individuals were very low (this is actually a good thing for everyone concerned with the liklihood of transmission, as it indicates that only 42 people out of 1484 acquired HSV by the conclusion of the study - 27 w/o supressive therapy, and 14 with), as indicated in the supplemental appendix, here:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/suppl/10.1056/NEJMoa035144/suppl_file/nejm_corey_11sa1.pdf
This indicates that in Figure A, a sample size of 20 transmissions resulted in symptoms, and in Figure B, a total sample size of 42 resulted in seropositive confirmation (this aligns with the study) .
Now, this is the important part - Figure B indicates that if one were to never use condoms, and the source partner was using daily supressive therapy, the chance of tranmission is about 1.5% (column 1). However, if one were to always use condoms, and the source partner was using daily supressive therapy, the chance of transmission actually increases to around 2%.
This means either condom usage increases tranmission rates when paired with daily suppresive therapy (unlikely), or their sample size was too small to accurately draw conclusions from (more likely).
One thing that I think should be mentioned is that the results they got for condom usage were less than helpful (unless I'm reading them incorrectly of course; I dont think I am). Firstly, their subset of individuals were very low (this is actually a good thing for everyone concerned with the liklihood of transmission, as it indicates that only 42 people out of 1484 acquired HSV by the conclusion of the study - 27 w/o supressive therapy, and 14 with), as indicated in the supplemental appendix, here:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/suppl/10.1056/NEJMoa035144/suppl_file/nejm_corey_11sa1.pdf
This indicates that in Figure A, a sample size of 20 transmissions resulted in symptoms, and in Figure B, a total sample size of 42 resulted in seropositive confirmation (this aligns with the study) .
Now, this is the important part - Figure B indicates that if one were to never use condoms, and the source partner was using daily supressive therapy, the chance of tranmission is about 1.5% (column 1). However, if one were to always use condoms, and the source partner was using daily supressive therapy, the chance of transmission actually increases to around 2%.
This means either condom usage increases tranmission rates when paired with daily suppresive therapy (unlikely), or their sample size was too small to accurately draw conclusions from (more likely).
I think your confusion is trying to compare that study to the reduction in transmission study.
grace
grace
yes it is accurate. it comes from the valtrex and reduction of transmission study from the NEJM. the stats we use here on the forum for reduction in transmission are also the same used by Terri Warren in her herpes handbook.
So is the condom use + daily suppressive = 99% effective prevention not accurate?
So is condom use + daily suppressive therapy being 99% effective on average per year not correct?
Grace, would you be so kind as to site your sources for suggesting <4% transmission rate of hsv2 provided intercourse is avoided during clinical episodes, and daily supressive therapy is used?
The research posted here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667115/
claims that anogenital subclinical (asymptomatic) episodes account for over 66% of viral shedding per year, with a yearly frequency of approximately 20% of days. Admittedly, I've also read (the source, I wish I had) that daily supressive therapy can drop clinical and subclinical shedding frequency by about 50%.
Regardless, every piece of research I've read suggests it is most probable for transmission to occur during times when the source partner is asymptomatic, given the steps taken when a clinical episode is apparent (and that a large majority of individuals dont even realize they've been exposed).
Thanks.
The research posted here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667115/
claims that anogenital subclinical (asymptomatic) episodes account for over 66% of viral shedding per year, with a yearly frequency of approximately 20% of days. Admittedly, I've also read (the source, I wish I had) that daily supressive therapy can drop clinical and subclinical shedding frequency by about 50%.
Regardless, every piece of research I've read suggests it is most probable for transmission to occur during times when the source partner is asymptomatic, given the steps taken when a clinical episode is apparent (and that a large majority of individuals dont even realize they've been exposed).
Thanks.
So in conclusion, not having obvious symptoms is actually not favorable and ultimately taking a daily antiviral and using condoms 100% of the time is the only way to prevent infecting your partner on average 99% of the time.
many folks expect herpes to present with very obvious and painful lesions. for some folks, it is redness and irritation more than blisters - who hasn't had those symptoms at some point? only about 20% of folks are truly asymptomatic in their hsv2 infections - the rest either have obvious symptoms or just don't realize that they are having obvious symptoms. If you have hsv1 orally first before contracting hsv2 genitally, it takes the "edge" off of the hsv2 infection so it tends to present initially with very mild symptoms or single lesions which makes it easy to confuse with something else - even for medical professionals.
Hi ive had hsv2 for almost 2 years now and I have only had a total of 3 outbreaks.each one has consisted of only one small bump that could have easily been. Mistaken for a razor cut or bug bite so Its not impossible to overlook them. It is now dormant in my body and even under stress and no daily meds I have no outbreaks.
To clarify, the reason I am asking the symptom related question is that I find it difficult to understand how someone who has tested positive for hsv2 can say that they have "never" had any genital related symptoms.
Thanks again for the continued responses. The discussion is helping me better understand this health condition.
Based on what you are saying, 10% of people who didn't know that they have hsv-2 until they are tested have no symptoms?
The other 80%, once educated, begin to notice symptoms that they may have previously overlooked or attributed to something else. I was under the impression that the symptoms are fairly obvious. What type of symptoms, for example, could someone with hsv-2 overlooked?
Also, from your experience, how common is a false positive hsv2 due to previous hsv1 contraction?
Based on what you are saying, 10% of people who didn't know that they have hsv-2 until they are tested have no symptoms?
The other 80%, once educated, begin to notice symptoms that they may have previously overlooked or attributed to something else. I was under the impression that the symptoms are fairly obvious. What type of symptoms, for example, could someone with hsv-2 overlooked?
Also, from your experience, how common is a false positive hsv2 due to previous hsv1 contraction?
we don't really have odds of transmission of hsv1 from oral to oral. far too many folks contract it as children to make transmission feasible to study.
over 90% of folks who have hsv2 have no idea they have it until tested.
about 80% of folks who have hsv2, once they find out that they are infected and are properly educated, are able to start noticing symptoms that previously they overlooked or attributed to other causes. It certainly wouldn't be unusual for her to start noticing symptoms at this point.
over 90% of folks who have hsv2 have no idea they have it until tested.
about 80% of folks who have hsv2, once they find out that they are infected and are properly educated, are able to start noticing symptoms that previously they overlooked or attributed to other causes. It certainly wouldn't be unusual for her to start noticing symptoms at this point.
Hello grace. Thank you very much for your response to my inquiry. What is the likely transmission from mouth to mouth contact, kissing that is, in the absence of any symptoms?
Also, I do not quite understand how she can have genital hsv-2 but never has had any genital symptoms? Does this mean that she likely contracted HSV-2 from someone's genitals but is asymptomous? (sp). If she has not had any genital symptoms after an extended amount of time, is it possible that an outbreak can then occur "out of no where" per say?
Thanks again, I am just trying to better understand what seems to be a very complciate condition.
Also, I do not quite understand how she can have genital hsv-2 but never has had any genital symptoms? Does this mean that she likely contracted HSV-2 from someone's genitals but is asymptomous? (sp). If she has not had any genital symptoms after an extended amount of time, is it possible that an outbreak can then occur "out of no where" per say?
Thanks again, I am just trying to better understand what seems to be a very complciate condition.
odds are even though they've never noticed any genital symptoms, their hsv1 is oral and their hsv2 is genital.
have you been tested to know your own status?
as for the hsv2, if you two did nothing but avoid sex anytime she has anything going on genitally, you'd be 96% likely each year NOT to contract hsv2 from her. if she takes daily suppressive therapy and uses condoms in addition to that, you'd be on average 99% likely each year NOT to contract hsv2 from her. very low odds with very little effort.
if your partner has never posted her herpes testing results on this forum to get her status confirmed, encourage her to do so. There are false positive issues, especially when infected with hsv1 orally previously so it's well worth her doing so to make sure she was properly tested.
grace
have you been tested to know your own status?
as for the hsv2, if you two did nothing but avoid sex anytime she has anything going on genitally, you'd be 96% likely each year NOT to contract hsv2 from her. if she takes daily suppressive therapy and uses condoms in addition to that, you'd be on average 99% likely each year NOT to contract hsv2 from her. very low odds with very little effort.
if your partner has never posted her herpes testing results on this forum to get her status confirmed, encourage her to do so. There are false positive issues, especially when infected with hsv1 orally previously so it's well worth her doing so to make sure she was properly tested.
grace
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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.
