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How do you get genital herpes?
Genital herpes can be easily passed on even when there are no symptoms or visible signs of infection.
It can be passed on
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by skin-to-skin contact with an infected area, including oral, vaginal or anal sex
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through small cracks in the skin, or through the mouth, vagina, rectum, urethra (the tube we pee through) and under the foreskin
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by sharing sex toys with someone who has the virus
It’s caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV, type 1 and type 2. Both types can cause genital herpes or cold sores around the mouth.
Many people with the virus will have caught it during childhood, as it’s easily passed on through saliva or close skin contact.
But you cannot get genital herpes from sharing baths or towels, swimming pools, toilet seats or cups, plates or cutlery. The virus dies quickly when away from the skin.
The virus will not pass through a condom. But as condoms do not cover all of the genital area, it's possible to infect genital skin that is not covered.
If you already have one type of HSV it’s still possible to get the other type.
Symptoms of herpes
Not everyone who has the virus will get symptoms. Many people do not know they’re infected. Only 10-20% of people who carry the infection will have been diagnosed, even though the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 69% of women and 61% of men in Europe carry the type 1 virus.
Some people will get symptoms within 4 or 5 days of coming into contact with the virus. Others may have it for weeks, months or possibly years before they get symptoms.
Getting symptoms for the first time doesn’t automatically mean you’ve only just come into contact with the virus.
If you do get symptoms, they can be mild or severe. You may get
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flu-like symptoms such as fever, tiredness, headache, swollen glands, aches and pains in the lower back and down the legs or in the groin
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stinging, tingling or itching in the genital or anal area
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small, fluid-filled blisters anywhere in the genital or anal area, on the buttocks and on the tops of the thighs (these burst within a day or two leaving small, red sores which can be very painful)
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pain when peeing, caused by urine touching the sores
The first outbreak of sores is often the worst. Usually, they’re milder when they recur and clear up more quickly (in about a week). You may experience, on average, 4 outbreaks a year. And that’s likely to reduce over time.
How to avoid genital herpes
Using condoms reduces the risk of contracting all sexually transmitted infections including genital herpes.
You can get free condoms at sexual health clinics.
Genital herpes can be passed on even when there are no symptoms. But the blisters and sores are highly infectious, so if you or a partner have cold sores or genital herpes:
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avoid kissing when you, or a partner, have cold sores around the mouth
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avoid oral sex when you, or a partner, have mouth or genital sores
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avoid any genital or anal contact when you, or a partner, have genital sores or blisters, or if you feel an outbreak starting (many people can feel a tingling or itching before a blister – called a prodrome – appears)
Regular testing helps reduce the spread of STIs. We recommend you test at least once a year. If you regularly have sex with new partners, we recommend testing every 3 months.
Is herpes serious?
Any sexually transmitted infection could become serious if it’s left untreated. But it’s rare for genital herpes to cause any long-term health problems.
Outbreaks can get worse or happen more when your immune system is weaker. Your system can be less able to keep the virus under control when you feel ill or run down, or when you’re pregnant. It’s important to tell your midwife or doctor if you get signs of genital herpes during pregnancy.
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