I think his point is that if it doesn't bother most people who have it,
and most people do have it (50% or more), then it doesn't really matter
if the rest of the world gets it.

try topicla applications of hydrogen peroxide.  I have found that if
you do that as soon as any redness appears it stops the process and
begins the healing.   Gotta stay with it though, 3 times a day or more.

Actually, you most likely do have it.  I believe almost everyone is
exposed to the virus as a child.  Then the virus just lies dormant
(usually) in your nerve cells forever.  Thus, being asymptomatic
doesn't mean you don't carry the virus.  I guess only certain people
have an immune system that can't completely control the outbreaks.

Actually, you don't know if you don't have it.  Most people have it,
but most people don't break out.  I have no idea if I have it, as I
can't remember ever having had a cold sore.  SOme people have better
immune systems than others.  It's also true that many people just can't
say for sure whether or not they have HPV (and that's the truth).  But
be honest.  Do you actually expect future lovers or those who kiss you
to tell you if they remember ever having had a past cold sore?  As a
kid perhaps?  Perhaps they haven't had one in years and just don't
think about that stuff anymore.

I doubt you would expect them to remember it and to tell you.

snowboardke...@hotmail.com wrote:

Well, yes, it's possible.  THis is possible because there are different
"strands" of the virus.  Two types are HSV-1 and HSV-2.  To give an
example, someone could have HSV-2 in his or her genital area, but
perhaps not have HSV-1 in his or her mouth or genital area.  If a
person with HSV-1 comes along and licks someone's private area or
kisses someone, then it's possible that that person could spread the
HSV-1 type to the person.

I personally know of a girl who was a virgin who had oral sex done on
her, and she got a breakout of herpes from it.  I obviously don't know
if HSV-1 or HSV-2 was given to her, but, while HSV-2 I've heard "likes"
the genital area more than HSV-1 (and vice versa for oral herpes), I've
heard it's possible that either HSV-1 or HSV-2 can infect either area.
Regardless, it was kind of sad.  She's only ever had one bad breakout,
the first breakout she had.  She's never had a breakout since.  Yet,
her whole relationship was RUINED with this man she loved, yet I'm sure
he didn't even know he had "oral herpes."  They were both young adults
at the time.  Yet, when she went to the doctor and the doctor told her
that she had herpes, she probably thought of him as evil for doing that
to her.  Yet, has it ruined her life?  Not exactly...one bad breakout
originally... none after that.  Yet, a love was lost because of mostly
ignorance and a world that thinks that getting herpes is somehow so
terribly awful.

.
Good data is available at http://www.herpes.org/ (this site also
discusses HPV) and http://www.herpes.org.uk/ (run by herpes "sufferers")
- there are undoubtedly other sources of information.
.
First myth to dispel - HSV-1 is not purely above the waist and HSV-2 is
not purely below the waist, you can get HSV-1 genitally and HSV-2 orally.
.
They tend to be happier in those contexts, according to recent
information from G-U medical specialists -  this seems to mean that if
you get HSV-1 genitally, you'll probably have one (quite unpleasant)
episode but once your immune system gets on top of it, you probably
won't have another major episode.
.
Anti-virals tend to get on top of it quite well during that first
outbreak and will also be useful for controlling later outbreaks.
If you have an ongoing HSV problem - lots of outbreaks, it's worth
consulting a physician and trying anti-viral treatments (orally, not
just creams).
.
I've also been told (by a specialist I was consulting) that although
it's possible, contracting HSV-2 by oral contact is frankly unheard of.
Transmitting HSV-1 from mouth to genitals is possible and not uncommon.
.
Having one form of HSV tends, apparently, to protect against the other -
the specialist told me that animal experiments attempting to doubly
infect were almost invariably unsuccessful. Don't rely on this to avoid
infection, however.
.
Other interesting points - HSV is a very successful virus, found in
almost all animals from molluscs upwards; My specialist remarked that
outbreaks are, from the virus' point of view, a bad thing - the ideal
for the virus is to be present for infection without exhibiting
symptoms; In general, HSV tends to become less of a problem the longer
you have it.
.
Hope that's interesting and helpful.

The basic answer always used to be no, with the detailed answer running
down to a complex set of variables that suggested that its a) very
difficult but possible and b) may not make a great deal of difference
long term as it may not really be able to colonise terribly well.

If you hunt in the literature you will find papers like
The latency-associated gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)
interferes with superinfection by HSV-1.
J Neurovirol. 2002 Dec;8 Suppl 2:97-102.

These obviously point out that the virus has evolved to try to avoid
superinfection happening. Superinfection has been described in the eue but
that is an immune privileged site.

As ever with this virus, it aint that simple and a lot of the issue is
what tools were available. Now you see the papers like this one
Roest et al, Journal of Medical Virology, vol 73, p 601-604. It is
entitled 'Genotypic analysis of sequential genital herpes simplex virus
type 1 (HSV-1) isolates of patients with recurrent HSV-1 associated
genital herpes'

They took a smallish number of patients, and sequenced the DNA of virus
got from swabs from patients sequentially. In 3 of their 13 subject the
sequence differed in a region known to be variable bewteeen HSV1 strains.
This suggests that those individual had more than one strain, raising the
possiblility of having been infected there mnore than once. That
immediately raises the possiblility of someone with HSV1 in the oral site
getting it in the genital....
(Note this is looking at strains of HSV1, NOT HSV1 vs HSV2 which are two
seperate viruses and have different interactions where one can clearly infect
someone with the other).

However I dont think how big a possiblity that is and what that means in
terms of changes in how you suffer or not from HSV in you has been
established. The basic line of 8 or 9 of 10 infections doesnt produce
symptoms still holds true and presumably will hold on these
superinfections too (if it isnt even more difficult). The 2 roughly 1 in
10s there sort of pulls about 1 in 100 infected people having to deal with
it as a sort of thrown together guess (but it is just an extrapolated
guess)

So I think it boils down to possible, but difficult to get more than one
virus strain in you, and not really well established if it changes what
happens to you if you do get superinfected...does it add to the issue,
does it just follow the other pattern etc.

Tim
--
When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart
ICQ: 5178568

<snip>

<snip>

Yup, the worst part about having herpes by far I would think would be
having to face an ignorant world.  If you *really* think about it, it
seems *really* silly that others would expect a potential sex partner
who's ever had a past herpes breakout to admit it to the other patner.
Most people already don't admit it for oral herpes and aren't thought
of as being selfish or bad for doing so.  However, I guess the reason
people expect others simply to admit to having had a genital herpes
infection in the past is because they know others will expect them to
tell if they get it and that the world is basically being kind of
silly.  I guess that's a valid enough reason, but it kind of pisses me
off still.

Bull!! I've had outbreaks of oral HSV for 45 years so I have a great
amount of experience in every conceivable treatment for it. If Valtrex
is taken at the first sign if symptoms (itching/burning), vesticles do
not form. Thus the "outbreak session" is limited to days instead of
weeks. Period! Based upon true experience instead of hearsay!

In all fairness, however, there is variation on how Valtrex is
prescribed. Some doctors prescribe 1 pill twice a day for 4 days. This
delays the drug's action and could result in a longer recovery time.
The newer prescription is 2 pills twice a day for 1 day. This gets more
drug to the infected site a lot faster and results in a faster
response/faster recovery.

Enuf