My boyfriend is worried I'll give him herpes!

This is an excellent response I found to a person who is concerned about passing herpes along to her partner.

Q: I’ve had genital herpes. I rarely get a sore nowadays, but my boyfriend is concerned that he’ll get infected. Are there certain things that could increase my likelihood of infecting him?

A: Fifteen to 20 percent of the population is infected with herpes simplex type 2, the virus which most frequently causes genital herpes. (On occasion, herpes simplex type 1, which causes oral cold sores, can be the source for a sore in the genital area.) But most of these individuals don’t have a clue that they are infected or think that “no sore” means “not infectious” and, as a result, unknowingly transmit it to a partner.

We can now tell if a person has had herpes by checking his or her blood for type-2 herpes antibodies, and this test has allowed us to discover just how many individuals do indeed carry the virus.

With nearly 20 percent of the population infected, reducing the risk of transmission is crucial, says Dr. Judith Reichman. Here’s how to stay safe

Dr. Reichman’s Bottom Line: You are more likely to shed the herpes virus when you’re on the pill or have a vaginal infection — and certainly when you have an open lesion — but the fact is you can shed the virus at any time. If you want to do everything possible to prevent the infection of your partner, use condoms and ask your doctor to prescribe a daily antiviral medication.

The full response and source can be found here: