Diagnosed many years ago with HSV2, I have many questions now that I've been reading your board, with all the resurgence of sadness, depression, etc. Please pardon my ignorance and offer me some guidance.
1. If an uninfected partner is wearing a condom, and I do not have any evidence of symptoms, how could that viral shedding affect him. Just by contact from any of my vaginal fluid with the skin on his scrotum? Is it absorbed through the skin by contact?

2. I had taken Valtrex in the past for a breakout and had awful side effects: is Acyclovir (not sure of spelling now) just as effective as an ongoing antiviral treatment? I know I did fine with that one taking it for about a month for a breakout. Is there a downside to taking this medication over time.

3. If an uninfected partner gives me oral sex when I'm asymptomatic, do we know what his chances are of contracting Herpes? And can he contract either HSV-1 or HSV-2 from me?

4. Can I give him any form of Herpes by merely kissing him or giving him oral sex even when I'm asymptomatic? In other words, I guess I'm asking about my saliva here and what role it plays in transmitting the virus.

5. If I do have symptoms genitally, which is the only way it shows up for me with my HSV-2, can I infect him by giving him oral sex or just kissing him since the virus I suppose is most active when there are symptoms?

I am very concerned for a loved one who knows that I have HSV-2 and has never been in this situation. Because it's been so long for me, I almost forgot I had it. I don't have to tell anyone here how difficult this is. Anxious to hear your answers.

1. If an uninfected partner is wearing a condom, and I do not have any evidence of symptoms, how could that viral shedding affect him. Just by contact from any of my vaginal fluid with the skin on his scrotum? Is it absorbed through the skin by contact?

You shed the virus from the entire anogenital area periodically. A condom only covers the penis and nothing else so there can still be a lot of skin on skin contact. the overall risk to a male though is very low in general ( 4%/year if you do nothing but avoid sex anytime you have anything going on genitally ).

2. I had taken Valtrex in the past for a breakout and had awful side effects: is Acyclovir (not sure of spelling now) just as effective as an ongoing antiviral treatment? I know I did fine with that one taking it for about a month for a breakout. Is there a downside to taking this medication over time.

what side effects did you have? was it when you took the initial higher doses of valtrex we give for the 1st ob?
yes acyclovir works just as well, in fact valtrex had to show that it worked just as well as acyclovir to get approval. you just have to take it more often than you do valtrex. no side effects to taking the herpes antivirals long term either.

3. If an uninfected partner gives me oral sex when I'm asymptomatic, do we know what his chances are of contracting Herpes? And can he contract either HSV-1 or HSV-2 from me?

hsv2 stays hsv2 regardless of if it's oral or genital. If your partner performed oral sex on you, he can contract hsv2 orally but the risk of such is low over all. You taking daily suppressive therapy lowers your partners risk even more.

4. Can I give him any form of Herpes by merely kissing him or giving him oral sex even when I'm asymptomatic? In other words, I guess I'm asking about my saliva here and what role it plays in transmitting the virus.

have you been tested to know if you also have hsv1? your genital hsv2 isn't an issue for when you kiss someone or perform oral on them.

5. If I do have symptoms genitally, which is the only way it shows up for me with my HSV-2, can I infect him by giving him oral sex or just kissing him since the virus I suppose is most active when there are symptoms?

see #4


Has your new partner been tested to know his own status?

keep asking questions!

betsy

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ASHA Moderator