| Am I at risk of contracting herpes? If you already have a history of genital herpes you will not "catch it again" from partners who have the condition. In this situation, future outbreaks will depend on factors such as illness, stress and problems with the immune system. The same factors apply if you who have already contracted the herpes infection (whether from your partner or elsewhere) without knowing it. If you have never been infected with the herpes simplex virus then there is some risk of contracting the infection from your partner. The risk alters depending on what strain of the herpes virus your partner has, and whether or not you have ever experienced cold sores in the past. If your partner has HSV-1 infection around the genitals, and you have had cold sores previously, then it is unlikely that you will develop genital herpes. If your partner had HSV-2 infection, then your risk will be higher, especially if you have never had cold sores previously. What should I do to minimise the risk of contracting herpes? It is important to remember that even if you are very careful, if you have a long term partner with genital herpes there is a chance that you will be infected as well. This is because the virus can be shed from the affected area even when there are no symptoms present. Therefore, the only way to be sure to avoid contracting the infection is to avoid sex with your partner; not a realistic solution for most people! There are measures which will help reduce the risk, though: Try to avoid contact with your partner's genitals during outbreaks. The condition is most infectious at the time when there are visible signs, such as blisters or sores. You should continue to avoid contact until all signs of the sores have disappeared. If your partner experiences "warning signs" before an outbreak (such as tingling, numbness or shooting pains) then you should avoid contact with his/her genitals from that time. Note that your partner can still have contact with your genitals during this time; if the genital area is affected, you won't contract the infection from your partner's hands or mouth. There is evidence that regular antiviral medication reduces shedding of the virus. This means that if your partner experiences regular outbreaks of genital herpes, a course of antiviral medication taken regularly to prevent symptoms will probably reduce your chance of catching the infection both during and in between your partner's outbreaks. The use of condoms for intercourse with your partner may help to reduce the risk somewhat, but the benefit is uncertain. Bear in mind that the infection is passed on by skin-to-skin contact and the virus can therefore be passed to or from areas not covered by the condom. |
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