Herpes how can it be transmitted

However, most people do not have any symptoms. Most people with oral herpes were infected during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva. Oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can be spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex. This is why some cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV Genital herpes is common in the United States. More than one out of every six people aged 14 to 49 years have genital herpes.

You can get genital herpes by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease. If you do not have herpes, you can get infected if you come into contact with the herpes virus in:. You can get herpes from a sex partner who does not have a visible sore or who may not know he or she is infected. It is also possible to get genital herpes if you receive oral sex from a sex partner who has oral herpes.

You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools, or from touching objects around you such as silverware, soap, or towels. If you have additional questions about how herpes is spread, consider discussing your concerns with a healthcare provider.

If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting genital herpes:. Be aware that not all herpes sores occur in areas that are covered by a latex condom. Also, herpes virus can be released shed from areas of the skin that do not have a visible herpes sore. For these reasons, condoms may not fully protect you from getting herpes.

If you are in a relationship with a person known to have genital herpes, you can lower your risk of getting genital herpes if:. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is very important for you to go to prenatal care visits. Tell your doctor if you have ever had symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with, genital herpes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to genital herpes. There is some research that suggests that genital herpes infection may lead to miscarriage, or could make it more likely for you to deliver your baby too early.

Herpes infection can be passed from you to your unborn child before birth but is more commonly passed to your infant during delivery. This can lead to a potentially deadly infection in your baby called neonatal herpes. It is important that you avoid getting herpes during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, you may be offered anti-herpes medicine towards the end of your pregnancy. This medicine may reduce your risk of having signs or symptoms of genital herpes at the time of delivery.

At the time of delivery, your doctor should carefully examine you for herpes sores. Most people who have genital herpes have no symptoms, or have very mild symptoms. After an initial genital herpes infection with HSV-2, recurring symptoms are common but often less severe than the first outbreak. The frequency of outbreaks lessens over time. People infected with HSV-2 may experience sensations of mild tingling or shooting pain in the legs, hips, and buttocks before the occurrence of genital ulcers.

For people with genital herpes caused by HSV-1, symptoms might return, but genital herpes caused by HSV-1 often does not recur frequently. Repeated symptoms of genital herpes may be painful, and the infection can lead to social stigma and emotional distress. These factors can have an important impact on quality of life and sexual relationships.

However, with time, most people with herpes adjust to living with the infection. Genital herpes increases the risk of getting HIV by about three times. Spread of HSV from mother to child during birth is a rare condition, happening in an estimated 10 out of every , births globally, but can lead to lasting disability or death.

The risk for giving herpes to the infant is greatest when a mother gets an HSV infection for the first time in late pregnancy. Women who have genital herpes before they become pregnant are at very low risk of spreading HSV to their infants. Genital herpes infection is often diagnosed clinically by a qualified health provider through physical examination.

When vesicles are not present, laboratory confirmation may also be needed to rule out other causes of genital ulcers. There have been major developments in the diagnosis of HSV-2 including using rapid molecular diagnostic tests, some prequalified by WHO. Most of the time, genital herpes is a mild skin condition that can be managed very effectively.

Herpes expert H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, explains the basics about genital herpes, including the difference between genital HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection, testing options and the importance of knowing virus type, and the three-prong strategy for prevention. See more herpes videos at sexualhealthTV.

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