If you have genital herpes, you’re certainly not alone. One in five Americans has the sexually transmitted disease. But what you may not be aware of is this: according to a just-released study even if you’re not experiencing any of the symptoms such as painful blisters and sores, you can still pass the infection on to your partner.
For the study, University of Washington researchers instructed five hundred infected adults to collect swabs of genital secretions each day for about two months. They were also asked to keep a diary of their symptoms. Those volunteers who showed outward symptoms of the virus (blisters and sores) were twice as likely to "shed" contagious amounts as those who were infected but had no symptoms.
But in a whopping sixty-eight percent of the subjects who did not record any symptoms, the virus was still active. What this means is that even highly contagious partners can be passing along the Herpes infection and not know it. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Besides abstention, the best way to protect a partner from being infected with herpes is to use a condom during sex. But research shows that condom use declines as people age. In fact, while adolescents are more likely than any other age group to engage in safe sex, adults over forty are the least likely group to use one, according to a study reported in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
It’s not that we aren’t having sex. The same survey showed Americans stay sexually active well into their eighties – and new sexual partners often enter the picture, along with a greater risk of getting herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases.
So what’s the best way to protect yourself from passing on or contracting herpes? First of all, if you’re not using condoms, use them. If you’re in a relationship, be monogamous. Having a sexual relationship with one partner who has been tested for herpes and is not infected is another way to lower your risk of getting infected. Talk frankly with your doctor and your sex partner(s) about any sexually transmitted diseases you or your partner has or has had. Also, being open with your partners can help you protect your health and the health of others. And learn the common symptoms of genital herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases. Do not have oral-genital contact if you or your partner has any signs of oral herpes, such as a fever blister.
If you think you have genital herpes or another sexually transmitted illness, don’t have sexual contact until you’ve seen your doctor.
Unfortunately, genital herpes cannot be cured; the virus will always be in your body. But the antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir can shorten outbreaks and make them less severe, or stop them from happening. Valacyclovir (brand name Valtrex) also can lower your risk of passing the infection to someone else. Depending on your needs, your doctor can give you drugs to take right after getting outbreak symptoms, or drugs to take on a regular basis to try to stop outbreaks. Ask about treatment options.
Robin Westen is ThirdAge’s medical reporter. Check for her daily updates.
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