Frequently Asked Questions
I think I have genital herpes. Is it necessary to get
tested?
Yes. It is important that you seek testing from your health professional
so that you can be properly diagnosed. If you are diagnosed with
genital herpes, you and your physician can discuss ways to manage
this disease and reduce the risk of transmission to your partner
or baby, if you are pregnant.
How is herpes diagnosed?
Health professionals diagnose herpes by taking your medical/sexual
history, performing a clinical examination, and ordering laboratory
tests. The presence of herpes virus can sometimes be determined
from a swab of an active lesion (sore). A blood test (serology)
can determine if you have herpes, even if you don’t have
symptoms. Newer serology methods utilize highly specific technology
that can determine if you have herpes type-1 or type-2 (genital
herpes).
Can you spread genital herpes when you are not having an outbreak?
Yes. Genital herpes can be spread even when there are no visible
signs of outbreak. This is called asymptomatic viral shedding.
Most people contract genital herpes from an infected partner who
has no symptoms.
If I become pregnant and have genital herpes, can I transmit it
to the baby?
It is possible to transmit infection to your baby if you become
infected during pregnancy or if you have an outbreak at the time
of delivery. Your healthcare provider can discuss ways to reduce
the possibility of transmission to your baby and carefully monitor
you for symptoms during your pregnancy. Women with genital herpes
can have healthy babies.
Is there any connection between AIDS and herpes?
Genital herpes, and other genital diseases that produce sores,
increase a person’s risk of getting HIV if they are sexually
active with an infected (HIV) individual. People who have both
infections have more frequent symptoms and shed virus at a much
higher rate, thus increasing the likelihood of transmitting infection.
Who gave this to me?
If you have been sexually involved with more than one partner,
it will be difficult to determine the source of infection, as genital
herpes infection can be spread even when there are no visible signs
of outbreak. As genital herpes infections are often asymptomatic
or symptoms go unrecognized, it will also be difficult to determine
when you were first infected. Over 50% of people contracting herpes
get it from a partner who is unaware they have it.
What do I tell my partner?
It is important to share this information with your partner before
you become sexually active. If this has already happened, there
is a very good chance your partner has already been infected and
needs to visit a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.
The best approach is to be direct and honest. Carefully think of
the words you will use and deliver them in a frank, open manner
that will lead the way to further discussion about your sexual
relationship. Since herpes is just one of many sexually transmitted
diseases, and the consequences of some are more grim than herpes,
this dialog is necessary to built the trust and commitment needed
for a relationship.
Where can I get more information about herpes?
The American Social Health Association has a Herpes Resource Center
to assist people with herpes. There is a quarterly newsletter,
called The Helper, a telephone hotline, and information about local
HELP groups.
For more information, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope
to:
National Herpes Resource Center
American Social Health Association
P.O. Box 1327
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Herpes Hotline
1 (919) 361-8488
> http://www.ashastd.org/hrc
Or
> Call the CDC Sexually Transmitted Disease National Hotline
at
(800) 227-8922
> Click here to access other
herpes websites and resources
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