Is it possible to get genital herpes from your partner if she doesn't have an outbreak?

Question

A couple of friends I know, the guy is wondering because he just found out that his girlfriend had genital herpes with her blood test. Can a person who has genital herpes give it to someone even if they don't have an outbreak? Is having full unprotected sex still contagious? Yes thank you this answers my friend's question! Thank you very much good day :)

Sarah-Yan Chagnon · Accepted Answer

Hello, Herpes is transmitted during intercourse through direct skin-to-skin contact. Although the risk of transmission is low in the absence of herpes lesions, it is quite possible. In fact, the risk is estimated to be about 5% in the absence of lesions and this percentage increases drastically during an outbreak. The days most at risk are just before an outbreak, during the outbreak and the days after. So the best protection remains condoms. Alternatively, in some couples where only one spouse has herpes and condoms are not an option, the unaffected partner can ask his or her doctor to prescribe a medication to be taken daily to decrease his or her risk of getting herpes. Hoping to help you, Sarah-Yan Chagnon, pharmacist