positive with hsv 1 but never had symptoms

[antonio82]

A month ago I test positive for hsv 1 but I never had symptoms.  Is this normal? I went to get tested because of being paranoid flu like symptoms. Turned out to be a bug going on at work. But my results are positive. Doctor said I its normally an oral sore but i have never had any tingling or blisters in my mouth or my genital area to this very day or before the testing. I did some reading and it says if you show positive you can pass it to someone else.  Does this mean I can't kiss ever? How do i deal with this? and also the doctor said that 80 percent of the population has hsv , is this true? not having symptoms what are the chances of me passing it to someone?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

The actual number is 56% of the US population between the ages of 14 and 49.  And there are certainly more people over the age of 49 and some under the age of 14 who have HSV 1 infection.  The majority of those have no symptoms that they would describe that are consistent with HSV 1 infection (cold sores on the lips, in the nose or on the face).  Some of these infections are genital from receiving oral sex, but HSV 1 is not easily transmitted from the genital area at all.  It happens, but not often.  

I can't tell you what the odds of passing this to someone else are.  We simply don't have the research to show us how often that happens so I will not even guess at that.

In my opinion, and that is just an opinion, I would certainly not avoid kissing people for the rest of your life because you have HSV 1 infection somewhere on your body.  I think if you get into a sexual relationship with someone, it is always a good idea to discuss your HSV status in general.  Do you know what the numeric value of your HSV 1 positive test is?

Terri

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

OK.  You are entitled to your feelings and also your own upsetness over your perception of these test results.  

We are finished here.

Terri

[antonio82]

Honestly i don't feel that i am overreacting. if anything i feel cheated, of all the times in the past i have done std screenings i came clean. But i never did hsv testing because the doctor always asked if i had any symptoms and i never did, so there response was then there is no need to test because you have no symptoms. So when i finally get one that test me for it i find out I'm positive and when ask how come doctor kinda of hinder the testing they say because a lot of people are already infected and if you show nothing there is no need for meds unless you break out. It makes me mad because they act like its nothing but yet I'm the one with the virus not them.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

No, the index value has no meaning when it is greater than 5.0 other than it is definitely positive.  

You know, honestly, I feel that you are way overreacting to this.  If over half the population between 14 and 49 has this virus, it is clear that it isn't life threatening or dangerous and that most future partners that you have will also be infected.  

Terri

[antonio82]

Does the number have a meaning besides that your positive with the virus? I'm really depressed because of all this.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I'm guessing that the number is greater than 5, not less than 5.  
If you do have a partner who is negative for both HSV 1 and 2 and is worried about your HSV 1 status, you can take medication daily to reduce the risk of infecting them, even though you have no symptoms.

Terri

[antonio82]

All it shows on the numerical value is that its less than a 5. The nurse said that number can vary from time to time. And that it does no good to constantly test to see the value. Another thing the nurse staff made it seem like its not a big deal since i have never had an outbreak (no meds) and just from now on to be careful.