Herpes

What is Herpes I & II?

Herpes is caused by a virus. There are two different forms of herpes: Herpes simplex 1 (HSV 1) and Herpes Simplex 2 (HSV 2). Herpes is a common infection and can be caught easily. The virus stays in your body for the rest of life and symptoms can come and go.

HSV-1 as HSV-2 can both infect the oral area. HSV-1 mostly infects the oral area and HSV-2 the genital area (near the sex organs). HSV-1 is more common than HSV-2 and about 80% of Americans are positive for HSV-1. About 25% of Americans are positive for HSV-2. The CDC estimates that more than 45 million Americans have HSV-2. HSV-1 affect about 65% of Americans and usually it cause cold scores in and around the mouth. Many people are not aware they have herpes because they have never noticed or had any symptoms.

What are the signs or symptoms of Herpes?

HSV-1 causes sores in or around the mouth which can be painful. Usually these symptoms last for a couple of weeks and go away. These scores may come and go and it can take weeks, months, or even years before they come back.

HSV-2 usually causes mild symptoms that people may not be aware of or recognize. The most common signs of HSV-2 are sores on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, or anus. It can also cause a painful feeling when you urinate. These sores may come and go and it can take weeks, months, or even years before they reappear. Even if you have no signs of herpes, you can still have it. The only way to be sure is to get tested.

How do you get it?

Herpes can be spread by vaginal, oral, or anal contact, by kissing, and skin to skin contact. It can spread from one person to another or it can spread from one body part to another. Herpes can be passed on very easily, skin contact is enough, especially when the skin is cut, chafed, or burned, or has a rash or other sores. Herpes is the most infectious when the scores are open, moist, or fluid is leaking out.

You can get herpes from skin to skin contact, oral, vaginal, and anal sex. The easiest way for herpes to spread is when there is an open, active sore. But you can still get herpes when there’s no outbreak at all. We’ll say that again. You can still get herpes even when your partner is not having symptoms or showing any open sores.

How can I prevent getting herpes or spreading it?

• Don’t have sexually intercourse if you have signs of herpes, not even when you would use a condom.
• ALWAYS Use a condom between outbreaks.
• There is herpes medication which can help you reduce the risk of spreading herpes by 50%.
• Don’t touch your herpes sores, or the ones of your partner or of any other part of your body.
• Don’t clean or wet your contact lenses with your mouth.
• Don’t kiss other people if you have a cold score.

How do I get tested for Herpes?

You can come to our facility and our friendly, expertly trained staff will gently draw your blood and send it out to the lab. Most results will be back within 24-48 hour. The result sheet will tell you if the results are out of range or not and if you do or do not have HSV I or HSV II. If you have any questions, our staff is happy to answer all concerns you may have. You can come in and pick up the results or we can mail, fax, or email them to you.

It takes 2 to 3 week after the initial infection before the test will show up positive.

What else should I know about this screening test?

The window period for antibodies to develop after infection can be anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months. In the early stage of infection, antibodies may not reach detectable levels. This can vary from person to person. So, for this reason, it is possible to get a false-negative result. If you believe you have been infected, a repeat test at 3 months after exposure may be recommended. There is also a very small chance of a false-positive results. If you believe that your risk for herpes is very low, it is recommended to have another test done at a later date to confirm the results.