Acyclovir and transmission

[Kim]

Hello,

I have had hsv2 for over ten years now and am currently taking acyclovir (400mg twice daily) to prevent transmission to my new partner.

My questions are:
1.) besides being easier to take because of the once daily dosing schedule, are there any benefits of valtrex over acyclovir in terms of transmission? Valtrex is very expensive in this country but I would be willing to pay if it reduced the chance of transmitting to my partner even further then acyclovir.

2.) we don’t know my partner’s Hsv2 status but assume negative. I have read that antivirals reduce the antibody response significantly. Could this leave me vulnerable to another hsv2 infection from someone else? Say for instance if my partner does have it, asymptomatically.

3.) I have read that antibody levels don’t restore until your first reoccurrence after stopping antivirals. If I were to meet a partner who is also hsv2 positive, should I wait until my first outbreak after stopping acyclovir before having sex, in case I am unprotected from an additional hsv2 infection?

Many thanks for any advice.

[Terri Warren]

My questions are:
1.) besides being easier to take because of the once daily dosing schedule, are there any benefits of valtrex over acyclovir in terms of transmission? Valtrex is very expensive in this country but I would be willing to pay if it reduced the chance of transmitting to my partner even further then acyclovir.
I’m afraid we don’t have that answer. But the traditional thinking is that acyclovir twice a day is equivalent to valacyclovir twice a day.

2.) we don’t know my partner’s Hsv2 status but assume negative. I have read that antivirals reduce the antibody response significantly. Could this leave me vulnerable to another hsv2 infection from someone else? Say for instance if my partner does have it, asymptomatically.
Your information is incorrect. Antivrals do not reduce your immune response UNLESS they are taken for an extended period of time immediately after acquiring HSV for the first time.

3.) I have read that antibody levels don’t restore until your first reoccurrence after stopping antivirals. If I were to meet a partner who is also hsv2 positive, should I wait until my first outbreak after stopping acyclovir before having sex, in case I am unprotected from an additional hsv2 infection?
That is also incorrect. I don’t know where you are getting your information but it is poor. You’ve been infected for a long time and your immune response is solid now.

Terri

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