Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Need more Information and advice regarding hvs 2

Hello myself age 28/M two months back i was diagnosis with hvs2 i have few question reading transmission of virus in specific does transmission happen only when there is outbreak.if not is there way to stop it othen then using condoms.and another question does virus transmit form skin area where it got infected or throughout genital area.
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
207091 tn?1337709493
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi - transmission doesn't only occur when an outbreak is present.

There is something called asymptomatic viral shedding. This happens when you have virus active on the skin, but there are no symptoms.

We know how often this happens:

Shedding rates: (and you can find all this in the herpes handbook - https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/)

HSV 2 genital 15-30% of days evaluated

HSV 1 genital 3-5% of days evaluated
  
HSV 1 oral 25% of days evaluated

HSV 2 oral 1% of days evaluated

How were you diagnosed with hsv2? Did you have a typed culture? A blood test?

If you have genital herpes, it means you are infectious from all the mucous membranes in the genital area - the thinner, moister skin. In males, this is the entire penis, the anus, and the rectum. It's possible to get outbreaks anywhere that your boxer shorts cover. This is because herpes infects nerve groups, and genital herpes infects the sacral ganglia, which affects the boxer shorts area.

Condoms reduce transmission by about half. We have transmission rates for hetero couple, and unfortunately not for same sex couples. We know that, generally, STD transmission is higher in men who have sex with men, or if two people with penises have sex with each other, but we don't have exact data on that.

This is the transmission info for ghsv2 for opposite sex couples, male to female,  assuming a long-term relationship, having sex 2-3x a week, over the course of a year:

Only avoiding sex during an outbreak - 8-10%

Adding condoms OR daily suppression - 4-5%

Adding condoms AND daily suppression - 2-3%

If your partners are also male, you can assume it's a higher than that, but we really don't know how much.

You should read the Herpes Handbook that I linked above, and we are here for any questions. I've had herpes for well over 15 years, and it's really just an annoyance in my life now.


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
thanks for reply sir, i had blood test which came positive.i have question reading asymptomatic shedding does this period last after outbreak ? if yes how long after outbreak ? and also my doctor said he had patient who don't had outbreak in last 6 year is that comman ? does outbreak and shedding reduce as times passes ? because i had two outbreak in two months.
Helpful - 0
5 Comments
Every one is different with shedding. You can have shedding for a few days after the outbreak - the general rule is to wait until it is fully healed and the skin is back to normal before having sex again.

It's normal to have more outbreaks with a newer infection. That should settle down, but have you considered trying daily suppressive medication, like taking Valtrex or acyclovir every day? That can really help. Also, make sure you are tested for other STDs. Having another infection can make herpes stay really active.

Yes, it can be common for people to go years between outbreaks. It's also common to get several a year. There's no way to know how it will affect you except to just wait and see. Some people get more outbreaks than others.

If you are worried about outbreak frequency and reducing transmission, talk to your doctor about taking valtrex or acyclovir daily.

Don't forget to read the Herpes Handbook. It's got loads of great info, too.
thanks for reply i had spoken with doctor today he said balance diat with daily rigorous exercise and yoga can help in immunity boost which will delay outbreak.i asked him about daily suppressive medication which he said not need for me right now.yes i brought hiv rapid test kit which came negative a bit of relif there.ya thanks for handbook i read it which is helpful thanks once again.i hope scientist develop a vaccin atleast in upcoming 2-3 years just a hope.
Nothing "boosts" your immune system. Obviously, eating a healthy diet and exercise helps everything, but if you "boost" an immune system, it means you have an autoimmune disease.

You can have immune deficiencies, if you are malnourished, but that usually happens in underdeveloped countries.

I'm sorry your doctor said no to suppression. It's not about "need" - you can take that whenever you want.

I'm sorry to say this, but we won't have any kind of vaccine or cure any time soon. You're better off learning how to live with it than counting on a vaccine. We are years - maybe decades - away from that. It can take decades for a vaccine, and there are no vaccines that are anywhere near human trials yet, which means they are a long, long way away.
thanks for reply.regarding malnutrition i don't think i m last time i had fever or flu is like 2 year back even with my inital outbreak i have no symptoms of ferver.was there is risk for resistance to drug if i take it daily ? i really sacred to dead by thought of no vaccine soon.i readed a artical that university of pennsylvania scientists had a positive result on animals next is going to be on human i maybe wrong i m no science student myself.one last question this personal one can i impregnation a person without transmit virus ? was there is way ?
There is no resistance to the antivirals, like valtrex or acyclovir. I've been on them for 15+ years.

Is this the vaccine? https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2019/september/new-penn-developed-vaccine-prevents-herpes-in-mice-guinea-pigs

Here's a decent article about the vaccine process - https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/vaccine-development-testing-and-regulation

Right now, if they are in animal testing, they are in the pre-clinical stage. This stage takes 1-2 years, on average. The entire process, assuming everything goes well, takes at least 10-15 years. They are still in the early stages.

Yes, you can have kids. You should probably consider suppression if your partner doesn't have hsv2, but you can talk to your doctor about that when you get to that point.

Again, the transmission rate if you take suppression is 4-5% a year. That's a 95-96% chance that you wouldn't transmit it.

Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
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.