Can you get herpes even if you never had a sexual intercourse ?
2007-04-04 22:16:12 · 5 answers · asked by Alex T 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ STDs
Yes, it kind of depends on what kind of herpes you are talking about. When people say "herpes" they are usually talking about either cold sores or genital herpes.
Cold sores are VERY common, whether you have had sex or not. It's estimated about 75 - 80% of the world has them. Most people get them when they are kids. They get them from being kissed by relatives like their parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Kissing someone with cold sores is the most common way cold sores are spread.
Genital herpes however, is almost ALWAYS spread by some sort of sexual contact. Babies can be born with herpes if the mother has it, but this is EXTREMELY rare. I've read less than 1% of babies born are born with herpes. You don't need to have sex to get genital herpes though. Even just direct skin to skin contact with an infected area (like dry humping) can cause a person to contract the virus.
2007-04-05 03:27:58 · answer #1 · answered by Alli 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-04-30 18:53:42 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-09-01 07:43:58 · answer #3 · answered by Melani 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How is it transmitted?
Any person who is sexually active can get genital herpes.
Herpes is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact. This occurs when a contagious area comes into contact with a tiny break in the skin or mucous membrane tissue, primarily the mouth and genitals.
Most skin on the body is too thick for the virus to go through.
If a person with oral herpes (sometimes called cold sores or fever blisters) performs oral sex, it is possible for the partner to get genital herpes.
If a person with genital herpes has sex, it is possible for his or her partner to get genital herpes.
Genital herpes can be transmitted sexually both when symptoms are present and sometimes when symptoms are not present.
There are several days throughout the year (called asymptomatic reactivation, asymptomatic shedding, or subclinical shedding) when the virus may be present on the surface of the skin, but there are no symptoms. Herpes can be passed through sexual contact during this time.
There are no documented cases of a person getting genital herpes from an inanimate object such as a toilet seat, bathtub, or towel. Herpes is a very fragile virus and does not live long on surfaces.
2007-04-04 22:26:06 · answer #4 · answered by meganzopf 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Herpes labialis is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. It leads to the development of small and usually painful blisters on the skin of the lips, mouth, gums, or lip area. These blisters are commonly called cold sores or fever blisters.
Herpes viruses are contagious. Contact may occur directly, or through contact with infected razors, towels, dishes, and other shared articles. Occasionally, oral-to-genital contact may spread oral herpes to the genitals (and vice versa). For this reason, people with active herpes lesions on or around the mouths or on the genitals should avoid oral sex.
Unfortunately, both oral and genital herpes viruses can sometimes be transmitted even when the person does not have active lesions.
Please see the web pages for more details and images on Herpes labialis and Genital Herpes.
2007-04-04 22:32:40 · answer #5 · answered by gangadharan nair 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes. sorta. its difficult. it is passed from skin on skin contact. like if someone has a cold sore on their mouth and you kiss them or you touch someones Private part and then you touch yours directly afterword's. it can happen but it is hard to get it that way. some people may disagree, but trust me and can happen
2007-04-05 00:41:28 · answer #6 · answered by peanut 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋