Not sure what to do

[Yossarian]

Hi Terri. So, I’ve started seeing this girl who recently told me she has genital herpes. I don’t know what type as of the moment. She’s had it for 3-4 years and I don’t know the frequency of outbreaks. She is not on anti-viral medication, and told me that her physician told her that she has a very mild case such that taking medication would not be worth the risks of adverse effects. I don’t know how to feel about this. Does that seem reasonable to you?

Also, I have oral HSV-1 (since I was a kid). Does that provide any degree of immune protection? Again, I don’t know if she has type 1 or 2. What if I started taking acyclovir (or something else) myself? Would that be beneficial at all? Thanks for your help.

[Terri Warren]

It is very important to know if she has HSV 1 or HSV 2. She can get an IgG antibody test that will tell her. If she has HSV 1, then since you have it already, there is no need to worry about transmission between the two of you. If she has HSV 2, then it would be my advice that she go on daily antiviral therapy to reduce the risk of infecting you by almost 50%. Even if she doesn’t have frequent recurrences, that does not mean that she will not shed virus when she has no symptoms. There are very very few side effects from these medicines, so I’m not buying that argument. It would not be useful for you to start antiviral therapy yourself, no.

HSV 1 orally affords no protection against getting HSV 2 genitally but if you do acquire HSV 2, you are likely to do so with more limited symptoms or no symptoms, vs. the person who has no HSV 1 infection already

Terri

[Author]

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