How is herpes simplex caught and passed on?The facts about passing on/transmitting herpes are clear: Show
Herpes is passed directly from the affected area of skin. This could be the genitals, face or hands. It needs direct skin to skin contact, with friction, when the virus is present. It then may appear at the place the virus was rubbed in. So if it is caught genitally, It does not travel through the body and appear on the face. Herpes simplex gets in easily through mucous membranes. These are the moist skin inside the mouth and genital-anal area. Sometimes it gets into ordinary skin, on other parts of the body, if there is a cut or break in the skin. This can be on the fingers/hands, knees, etc., but only if these come into direct contact with the affected area of another person. A finger sore is called a herpetic whitlow. Oral sex, when the virus is active on the face, allows the virus to be passed from the face of one person to the genitals of another. Or if one person has it genitally, oral sex will mean it is possible for a partner to catch it on the face. You can pass it on from the affected area, when the virus is present on the skin surface: from the first warning signs that a recurrence is starting (tingles, burning skin sensations, aches, stabbing pains), through the time when there are sores or blisters, until they have healed and fresh skin has grown back. Get this two-page summary which covers the basics. About six in ten adults by age 25 carry herpes simplex virus type 1 [4] [5] and one in ten carries type 2.[6] [7] Even more people carry herpes simplex virus in older age groups – but most don’t know. Only around one in three of those infected – with either type – is aware of this. What are the chances of getting herpes from an infected partner?You are less likely to get this from a partner than you think! This person is a safer partner than many others because they have been diagnosed. This means they will avoid sex from the moment they notice the start of an outbreak, until the time when it has totally cleared up. A man with genital herpes can protect a partner easily if his outbreaks appear in the area covered by a condom. (See below.) What are the risks of catching herpes?Exact risk is variable: women are half as likely to infect men as the other way round (though a man can protect a partner very well with a condom – see below). A person who gets warning feelings (prodromes) is not likely to ever pass it on as they can avoid sex until the feelings have gone, or the sores have healed. How long after the symptoms disappear before I can have sex?Don’t have sex from the first warning signs that a recurrence is starting (tingles, burning skin sensations, aches, stabbing pains). Wait until the skin has healed and fresh skin has grown back. Some people leave it 24 hours after total healing to allow the new skin to thicken. Can using a condom prevent transmission of herpes simplex?Yes, it can make a big difference. Herpes simplex virus cannot get through a condom. The condom should be put on the penis before it touches the partner’s sensitive (genital) skin. If the virus is active on the skin outside the area covered by the condom, transmission may still happen. Could I pass herpes simplex to a partner if I have no symptoms? (Asymptomatic shedding)This sometimes happens but is not likely. When the virus is inactive (dormant) inside the nerve cells it cannot be caught by a partner. If there is virus on the skin surface where you get your symptoms, it may be passed on. Before the outbreak begins, there may be a tingly or itchy feeling at the place where this will happen. This means that diagnosed people are less likely to pass it on when there is nothing to see on the skin, because they are usually more aware of these prodromes (the warning feelings). Whereas undiagnosed people often ignore highly infectious and obvious symptoms, because they do not know what they are. This is not “asymptomatic” as you can feel something and you should not have sex at this time. Asymptomatic shedding means “without sensation” and a scientific test can virus on the skin when the person feels nothing. This applies to type 2. Type 1 doesn’t ‘like’ the genital region and is less likely to recur and to shed asymptomatically. This happens only in some people, mostly in the first six months. After a year or two, if a person is not having many outbreaks, they will rarely have virus on the skin without symptoms. An antibody test (blood test) might show that your partner has already caught one of the herpes simplex viruses – although all these tests, whether you get it from clinics or off the internet, are very unreliable and results should be treated with caution. If the test shows your partner has antibodies, there is a 1 in ten chance this is wrong. If it is correct, it means the partner will have either total or partial protection. Subscribers can request our leaflet explaining the antibody test in full. What is the risk of transmission between recurrences (asymptomatic shedding or viral shedding)?Studies have shown that virus may sometimes be found on an infected area, even when there are no visible symptoms. This is called asymptomatic shedding. If enough virus is present when direct skin contact (sexual contact) takes place, a partner may become infected. The fewer recurrences a person has, the less chance there is of asymptomatic shedding. Asymptomatic shedding tends to decline with time. It may happen during the first year and is much less likely after that. The virus most often transmitted during the first months of a new relationship. But partners can be together for years without the virus passing from one to the other. Studies have shown that a majority of people catch it from someone who does not know that he or she has got this virus. Asymptomatic shedding is something that people find difficult to understand – there is a lot more detail in the transmission leaflet you can choose when you join (you decide if you want it sent by post or by email). If both partners have herpes, can they re-infect each other? What if my partner has herpes simplex?When you and your partner have the same herpes simplex virus you will not reinfect each other – even on a different part of the body, you will not catch it back yourself on a different part of your body. If you have caught a genital infection from a partner’s genitals, they will not catch the virus back on their face. If you have caught a genital infection from a partner’s facial cold sores, they will not catch the virus back on their genitals. And also: If you have caught it on your face from your partner’s genitals, then they will not catch it on their face if they do oral sex on you. If you have caught it on your face from your partner’s facial cold sores, then they will not catch it on their genitals if you do oral sex on them. Read more about protecting a partner from genital herpes in the transmission leaflet, free to members. The information is posted or sent by email. A two-page summary is available. What if my partner already has cold sores? On the face – or anywhere…If your new partner has had cold sores in the past, this either means that they have the same herpes virus as you, or will have the other type (there are only two types of herpes simplex). When you both have the same type, it is highly unlikely that either of you will reinfect the other – anywhere on the body. If you have different types and either of you catches a second type, symptoms will probably be slight or non-existent. This is because the antibodies for one type will have some immediate effect on the other type as well. It is called ‘partial protection’. Can I get genital herpes from kissing? Is herpes simplex virus in saliva?Mouth to mouth kissing cannot give anyone genital herpes My partner doesn’t have genital herpes so how can I have caught it?Your partner could be one of the ‘two out of three’ people with herpes simplex who have it so mildly they do not realise. So they could have sex when the virus is active. Mild symptoms can appear as a pimple, a little cut or an itchy bit of skin and yet these are very infectious. When people with these mild symptoms learn to recognise them, then they can avoid sex at these times. Another possibility is that your partner does not have herpes simplex and you caught it from a previous partner. It is possible to have a ‘first’ outbreak many years after first catchin it. Can I catch herpes simplex off towels, cups, or anything?Can I give herpes to my children?No – this will not happen. Parents do not need to worry about passing on their genital herpes to children because it is caught through direct skin contact with the affected place when symptoms are present and not from hands or objects. Even sharing a bath with small children is not a problem because herpes simplex virus is not transmitted in water. (See here for pregnancy and childbirth – which is a different issue.) Parents do not pass on genital herpes to their children through the normal activities of family life. You don’t need to worry about any ordinary family things such as touching, hugging, sharing, etc. Beds: herpes simplex virus is never transmitted on sheets. Is herpes on my laundry? No – it dies too fast. You can wash clothes together in the same machine, even when a person has a recurrence. Bathing or showering together will not transmit herpes simplex virus – the same is true for Jacuzzis and swimming pools. A child brushing against your upper thighs or abdomen while you have a recurrence won’t catch the virus. Even if you have used the toilet or you have touched the genital area and forgotten to wash your hands, this is not a problem. This virus is fragile and dies when it leaves living cells. Washing with ordinary soap and water is clean enough – there’s no need to use any special hand or toilet seat sanitisers. Children do all sorts of odd things that you can’t anticipate, but even if they put your worn knickers on their head they are not going to contract the herpes virus – relax and laugh with them. (We thank the New Zealand Herpes Foundation for this last example!) Can I pass herpes to my child through kissing?A person with genital herpes cannot pass it on through kissing. The virus is stuck in the dermatome where you have caught it. It cannot travel outside that area. So only a person with facial infection (cold sores) can transmit the herpes simplex virus through kissing.  Is genital herpes caught from a cold sore?If a person with a cold sore on the mouth does oral sex he or she can give his/her partner ‘cold sores on the genitals’ which is genital herpes. Also, cold sores on the face may be caught from someone with genital herpes through oral sex. Only the face of a person with cold sores is infectious – so they can have sex, but should not kiss or do oral sex when they have a cold sore. See the description of the two types. You will find Herpes Simplex – the Guide booklet (16 pages, 6,000 words) useful too. Can I get genital herpes from kissing? Is herpes simplex virus in saliva?Mouth to mouth kissing cannot give anyone genital herpes. What is the risk of transmission between recurrences (asymptomatic shedding or viral shedding)Studies have shown that virus may sometimes be found on an infected area, even when there are no visible symptoms. This is called asymptomatic shedding. If enough virus is present when direct skin contact (sexual contact) takes place, a partner may become infected. The fewer recurrences a person has, the less chance there is of asymptomatic shedding. Asymptomatic shedding tends to decline with time. It may happen during the first year and is much less likely after that. The virus most often transmitted during the first months of a new relationship. But partners can be together for years without the virus passing from one to the other. Studies have shown that a majority of people catch it from someone who does not know that he or she has got this virus. Asymptomatic shedding is something that people find difficult to understand – there is a lot more detail in the transmission leaflet you can choose when you join (you decide if you want it sent by post or by email). More questions and answers
This page was edited to improve the wording on 5-9-2022 Tell us what you think of this websiteJust a few questions Can I get herpes if my partner takes medication?While daily treatment can reduce the risk of transmission, it isn't 100% guaranteed that you won't become infected. If your partner has an active outbreak (lesions and/or other symptoms), it is best to avoid sexual contact even if they are taking the medication.
What are the chances of giving someone herpes while on medication?Study data shows that people with symptomatic herpes who take valacyclovir are almost 50% less likely to transmit the virus to others than non-medicated people with herpes. In one study, the HSV-2 acquisition rate was reduced from 3.6% to 1.9% using valacyclovir treatment.
Can I get herpes if my partner takes acyclovir?Aciclovir is a very common antiviral medicine and is usually taken to treat herpes. Taking Aciclovir will help suppress herpes and will also reduce your chance of passing on the virus to a partner by 50%. However, Aciclovir alone still leaves a female partner with a 5% annual chance of catching the disease.
Can herpes be transmitted even after treatment?Can I be treated to prevent genital herpes transmission to my partner? Yes. A large study showed that if one partner has herpes and the other partner is uninfected, treating the infected partner with suppressive therapy can prevent transmission of symptomatic herpes in over 90% of cases.
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Chances of getting herpes from infected partner on medication
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