Reducing the risk of transmission

If you are sexually active it is important that you make an informed decision about how to prevent the transmission Glossary: Transmission
Passing the virus on. of genital herpes to your partner.

Genital herpes can be transmitted Glossary: Transmission
Passing the virus on. from one person to another through any form of sexual contact. This includes vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex. Condoms reduce the risk of passing on genital herpes but are not 100 per cent effective. This is because the virus can literally 'shed' from the other parts of your genital region that are not covered by the condom. This is called viral shedding Glossary: Viral shedding
The shedding of the herpes virus from the skin surface – even if there are no symptoms present. .

Viral shedding doesn't just occur when you have symptoms of an outbreak of genital herpes. It can happen at anytime. This means that there is a risk of passing the virus on even when you don't have any symptoms. In fact, 70 per cent of people with genital herpes report getting it from a partner who did not have an outbreak at the time of sexual contact (via viral shedding ). Therefore, you should use a condom whenever you engage in sexual activity to reduce the risk of passing on genital herpes to your partner.

Suppressive therapy can help reduce the risk of transmission by reducing viral shedding . Speak to your doctor about which genital herpes treatment option is best for you.