How To Catch Genital Herpes

Are you curious about how to catch genital herpes and, more importantly, how not to? Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. It causes sores around the mouth, genitals and anus. Genital herpes, which affects one in five adults in the United States, or approximately 45 million adults, is spread by sexual contact and cannot be cured.

1. The herpes simplex virus can enter the body during vaginal, oral or anal sex. It enters the body through a break in the skin or through the mucous membranes of the penis, mouth or anus. Once you have herpes, you can infect other parts of your body if, for example, you scratch a sore and then touch your eye or mouth.
2. Many people who have herpes have no symptoms. You may develop painful lesions at the site where the virus entered your body, and you may experience flu-like symptoms. However, sores will not always be present if you have genital herpes, and you can catch the virus from someone even if they do not have any sores.
3. If you have a sexual partner who has genital herpes, avoid sex when sores are present, and make sure that the lesions do not touch your skin. Using a condom can reduce the chance that you will contract herpes, but the disease can still spread through sores that are not covered by latex. The best way to avoid herpes is by maintaining a long-term, monogamous relationship with someone who is not infected with the disease.
4. If you think you may have contracted genital herpes, see your doctor right away. Although there is no cure for genital herpes, treatment can reduce discomfort and limit the incidence of outbreaks, as well as reduce the chance that you will spread the virus to someone else.