Is there always an outbreak the first time you are infected with Genital Herpes?

[MikeT777]

Thank you for reading. Maybe some of you with experience can clarify the following for me.
I've read that some people do not show signs of genital herpes, but may still carry and pass on the virus. They may not know that they have genital herpes because they might have had a very mild initial outbreak (rare) and not have noticed it, or thought it was something else entirely.
My question is, if you are infected with genital herpes, will there always be an initial outbreak, or can you show no signs at all? Secondly, does the initial outbreak always produce vesicles and lesions?
Thank you for taking the time to answer.

[kevinco123]

Based on what they say here it is quite rare to be asymptomatic but it could happen since most show symptoms after the incubation period of about 4-21 days more or less.

The thing here that sucks is probably getting a positive test for herpes-1 IGG 3 months later but not having any symptoms down there. Since you could have a cold sore in the mouth as a kid or even a herpetic whitlow in the finger. There is no way to know if that positive test is even related to this event.

This kind of scenario is really confusing that you would probably have wished the symptoms to show up to know it could be genital herpes than to have a positive test with possible historical exposure in other areas.

[MikeT777]

Thank you for taking the time to answer Kevinco123