[Question #7322] Is herpes only contagious on the areas that get sores?

58 months ago

My friend was in a 5-year relationship, they both discovered they had genital herpes at the beginning. He hasn't been taking anti-virals. He has outbreaks every couple of months. He only gets sores on the head of his penis. Does this mean that the head of his penis is the only area of his genitals that have the virus or would his testicles and base of his penis and other areas still shed the virus? If the virus is only on the head of his penis would it make having intercourse when he is not having an outbreak with a condom safe?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

58 months ago

It is unusual to have herpes outbreaks only on the head of the penis. But the shaft of the penis, in its entirety, is the most common site for viral shedding, giving off the virus with or without an outbreak. Condoms that cover the shaft reduce transmission from males to females by96% when used with ever intercourse. Hope that is helpful

Terri

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58 months ago

Hi Terri,

Thank you for your response. Yes, that helps. Are there different statistics of catching genital herpes when exposed to an outbreak versus no outbreak? Or is the risk always the same?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

58 months ago

Interesting. People who have HSV 2 shed virus both when they have outbreaks and when they don't, in similar numbers. The advantage of outbreaks is a time when ones KNOWS they are shedding virus vs. times of asymptomatic viral shedding.

Terri

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58 months ago

Thank you Terri! I really appreciate your answers. You've answered my specific questions that I haven't found in searching the internet.

That is interesting that HSV2 is just as contagious without outbreaks as with outbreaks. I know a handful of couples that have been together for 5-40+ years where just one has HSV 1 outbreaks and they are careful around their partners when they have an outbreak and haven't knowingly given it to their partner. I know it is possible that their partners have HSV-1 and haven't had outbreaks but some of them have gone through really stressful times and it seems like they would have had outbreaks if they did have the virus. Is HSV 2 just more contagious?

Back to my first question, do testicles shed the virus if they have never had sores?

Thank you so much Terri!

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

58 months ago

HSV 2 is more contagious genitally, yes, for sure. HSV 1 orally is also quite contagious, but then these two viruses get out of their preferred locations, they are nowhere near as contagious. About 70% of those who have HSV 1 don't know they have it and 80% of those with HSV 2 don't know they have it. So what people say about their infection status, with no testing to back that up, may not be accurate. And the IgG test misses 30% of HSV 1 infections so even that isn't all that helpful, right?

The skin of the scrotum is quite thick and is unlikely to shed, though that is not impossible.

Terri

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