What’s your Risk of Spreading Herpes? Herpes Transmission Probability

One of the most common questions for newly diagnosed people is about herpes transmission. What are the odds of passing herpes? The transmission of HSV-2 to an uninfected partner depends on many different factors. The question of transmissibility is more complicated that what you may expect.

What’s your Risk of Spreading Herpes?

Know how is herpes transmitted

How does herpes transmission occur? Herpes is primarily transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact. Not bodily fluids, blood, surfaces, towels, bedding, toilets, or otherwise, just skin-to-skin contact.

The virus is passed to a sexual partner when there is a high concentration of the herpes virus present in a blister sore or intact skin during silent virus shedding, and this comes into contact with their skin. Once the herpes virus enters the body, it lodges itself in a local sensory nerve root and remains dormant until triggered by certain factors, which may or may not lead to an outbreak.

Herpes viruses tend to enter the body through areas with thin, moist, damaged skin or mucosal surfaces, making the oral and genital areas more susceptible. In contrast, the thicker skin on the arms and torso is less penetrable and less commonly affected.

The Role of Symptom Visibility in Transmission

Herpes transmission is closely linked to the visibility of symptoms, but it is important to understand that herpes can be spread even when symptoms are not present. Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), which causes oral and genital herpes, is highly contagious and can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact.

While visible sores, blisters, or ulcers on the skin make it easier to identify and avoid transmission, the virus does not require visible symptoms to be spread. This is where asymptomatic shedding plays a significant role.

Active Outbreaks and the Highest Risk Period

When an individual is experiencing an active outbreak, the virus is highly concentrated in the sores, blisters, or ulcers that appear in the affected area. This is the period of highest risk for transmission, as the sores are often open and can directly transfer the virus to a partner through skin contact.

During this time, the virus is more likely to spread through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, as well as non-sexual contact, such as kissing or sharing personal items like razors or towels.

The Prodrome Phase: Early Warning Signs

Even before visible sores appear, many people experience a "prodrome" phase. This refers to the early symptoms or sensations that precede an outbreak, such as itching, tingling, burning, or pain in the affected area. Although the sores have not yet formed, the virus is still active, and the risk of transmission is heightened.

The prodrome phase can be a warning sign for individuals with herpes to take precautions by abstaining from sexual contact or using protection to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus.

Asymptomatic Shedding: The Silent Transmission Risk

One of the most challenging aspects of herpes transmission is asymptomatic viral shedding. This refers to the release of the herpes virus from the skin or mucous membranes even when there are no visible symptoms.

Studies have shown that asymptomatic shedding can occur frequently, with the virus being active and transmissible to others for up to 10-20% of the time for HSV-2 and 5-10% for HSV-1, especially in the early months after infection. During these periods, individuals may unknowingly pass the virus to others, even though they feel fine and exhibit no signs of an outbreak.

While active outbreaks and visible symptoms make herpes transmission easier to recognize and avoid, the virus can still be spread during asymptomatic shedding and the prodrome phase.

Understanding these nuances emphasizes the importance of preventive measures, such as using condoms, taking antiviral medications, and maintaining open communication with partners, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Worry about herpes transmission? Meet nearby people with herpes

positivesingles

PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.

Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse and chat now!

What are the odds of transmitting herpes?

What are the chances of getting herpes from infected partner? The odds of transmitting herpes can vary depending on several factors, including whether the person with herpes is symptomatic or asymptomatic, the location of the infection, and the precautions taken.

What are the odds of transmitting herpes, chances of getting herpes from infected partner

It's important to note that while these statistics provide a general idea of transmission probabilities, individual experiences may vary. If you have herpes or are concerned about transmission, it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance and to discuss effective preventive measures.

Percentage of HSV Risk: Hsv 2 transmission probability

How likely is it to pass HSV-2? The likelihood of passing HSV-2 (genital herpes) to a sexual partner can vary depending on several factors, including whether the infected individual is symptomatic or asymptomatic, the precautions taken, and individual circumstances.

What is the hsv-2 transmission probability? Overall, the risk is about 10% per year that an infected male would transmit HSV2 to an uninfected female. That is, if 100 infected men were having one-on-one sex with 100 uninfected women, about 10 women would get infected per year. If the situation were reversed, about 4 uninfected men would get herpes in a year from infected women.

The studies that gave us those numbers were based on the following criteria:

An infected male and an uninfected female

If they avoid sex during outbreaks, don’t use condoms regularly, and he doesn’t take an antiviral therapy every day, the risk of transmission is about 10% per year, though there is a large range — from 7 percent to 31 percent — in different studies.

HSV 2 transmission female to male

HSV-12 is most contagious during an outbreak. If they avoid sex during outbreaks, don’t use condoms regularly, and she doesn’t take an antiviral therapy every day, the risk of transmission is about 4% per year.

Those percentages represent what studies consider an ‘average’ sex life incorporating vaginal penetration over the course of one year’s duration, which, of course, is highly subjective.

A study completed in the summer of 2002 evaluated whether antiviral therapy, taken daily, could reduce the risk of transmission of HSV 2 in healthy, heterosexual adults over the age of 18, from an infected partner to an uninfected one. The person with herpes took either valacyclcovir 500 mg daily or placebo. The study followed the couples for a total of 8 months, drawing the blood of the uninfected partner monthly to look for infection. The study found that the taking of valacyclovir daily reduced transmission by 48% over placebo (or sugar pill).

Condoms also reduce the risk of transmission. When men use condoms with every single intercourse, transmission is reduced by 96% to an uninfected female. Condoms used by uninfected men while having sex with infected women reduce the risk of transmission by 30-50%.

When both condoms and antiviral therapy are used, transmission rates can be greatly reduced. Even then, there is a small chance that transmission can occur. Taking antiviral therapy and using condoms does not alleviate the need to tell prospective partners about genital herpes.

Asymptomatic Shedding

Up to 70% of new cases of herpes are transmitted from someone showing no apparent symptoms at the time they infect their partner.

One of the hardest pieces of news to hear about herpes is that there is a chance that the virus can be transmitted when there are no apparent lesions. Women can have virus on their cervix with no sores on the outside of their body. Men can have the virus present inside of the urethra with no external sores.

Virus can be given off from the genital skin of both men and women with no sores, through microscopic breaks in the skin. This is called asymptomatic shedding of the virus; giving off the virus from the body with no apparent symptoms. The more sensitive our virus detection methods become, the more viral shedding we can identify. Shedding rates vary, based on location of virus and type of virus.

Once infected with HSV1 or HSV2, a person is capable of transmitting the virus forever, even when there are no symptoms present. Transmission that occurs when there are no visible symptoms is a result of asymptomatic viral shedding:

Viral shedding means the virus is active on the skin. HSV can shed before an active outbreak (the prodromal period), during an outbreak<, during the healing process following an outbreak, and also at random when there are no noticeable symptoms, and that is called asymptomatic viral shedding, or simply, asymptomatic shedding.

Both HSV1 and HSV2 are easily transmitted to their site of preference, and can also be spread to other sites. Both are most contagious during active outbreaks, but are often spread through viral shedding when there are no recognizable symptoms.

Have herpes & feel alone? Meet nearby people with herpes

positivesingles

PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.

Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse and chat now!

Does the risk of spreading herpes decrease over time?

Yes. Over time, though, the percentage someone sheds the virus asymptomatically is said to decrease. Studies involving discordant couples, in which one partner has HSV-2 and the other does not, introduce various biases. Discordant couples, for example, have not transmitted the virus between them and are encouraged to use condoms and take other preventive measures.

Most people get HSV1 as a child

Oral HSV-1 is often the most easily acquired herpes infection. Usually the first herpes simplex virus that people encounter, oral HSV-1, is typically spread simply by the kind of social kiss that a relative gives a child. Because children have no prior infection with any HSV type, they have no immune defense against the virus.

By the time they’re teenagers or young adults, about 50% of Americans have HSV-1 antibodies in their blood. By the time they are over age 50, some 80-90% of Americans have HSV-1 antibodies.

Almost all HSV-2 is encountered after childhood

Almost all HSV-2 is encountered after childhood, when people become sexually active. Those who have a prior infection with HSV-1 have an acquired immune response that lowers – though certainly doesn’t eliminate-the risk of acquiring HSV-2. According to one study (Mertz, Annals of Internal Medicine,1992), previous oral HSV-1 infection reduces the acquisition of subsequent HSV-2 infection by 40%.

Women are more likely to acquire HSV-2 from an infected male partner then men are from women.

In general, females are more likely to contract an HSV infection than males, because the majority of the vagina is comprised of mucous membranes. And while there are mucous membranes on the male genitalia (the head of the penis, the foreskin, and the urethra), there is less exposed surface area on the male genitalia that is made of mucous membranes than compared to the vagina.

The greatest risk of transmission occurs anywhere there is contact by an infected area with a mucosa: the nostrils, the mouth, the lips, the eyelids, the ears, the anus, the vagina, the glans penis (head of the penis), the glans clitoris, the urethra, the inside of the prepuce (foreskin), and the clitoral hood.

HSV-2 transmission is more dependent on genitals than gender. HSV transmission is actually most dependent upon the location of the body in contact with the virus rather than the gender of the person, because of exposure to mucous membranes themselves. Oral sex is more of an issue for HSV-1 transmission — from mouth to genitals, and indeed, HSV-1 is a fast-growing cause of genital herpes. Oral sex, though, is not much of a risk for HSV-2, since HSV-2 oral infection is rare and shedding of HSV-2 from the mouth is extremely low.

Asymptomatic shedding

Even if they don't show any sign of infection, people carrying the genital herpes virus can infect a sex partner 10% of the time. Up to 70% of new infections can be attributed to asymptomatic shedding. Read more facts about asymptomatic shedding.

Sex when both partners are HSV positive

As long as the relationship is monogamous, both partners have the same type of herpes infection(s) (known as a seroconcordant couple), and both partners are free of other sexually transmitted infections, it's not necessary to use barrier methods like condoms or dental dams. Friction can aggravate herpes sores and slow healing, so you may want to avoid getting it on when one of you has an outbreak for comfort reasons. On a related note, some folks with herpes actually seek a partner who has the same strain(s) of herpes, that way there's no risk of passing on the virus.

Have herpes & feel alone? Meet nearby people with herpes

positivesingles

PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.

Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse and chat now!

How Can I Protect My Sex Partners?

You can take steps to protect others from herpes. Keep in mind that you can spread it even when you don’t have symptoms. Use some practices, your risk of transmitting the virus to your partner(s) might be much much lower. Read more about how do I stop my partner from catching herpes.

Know more facts about herpes outbreak:

First herpes outbreak | Recurrent herpes outbreaks | Stages of a herpes outbreak | How long does a herpes outbreak last | How often do herpes outbreaks occur? | What can trigger herpes outbreaks? | How to recognize a herpes outbreak? | How to prevent herpes outbreaks | Viral shedding | Herpes treatment | How to strengthen your immune system

Incoming search terms for the article: