Shedding less the longer you've had this?

[Sumshine]

I'm a veteran 35 plus years. I should know all there is to know lol.. however, it does seem that I read that the longer you've had H, the less you shed, but I can't seem to locate that answer. So, the question is: does the virus she'd less the longer you've had it aside from anti-viral meds. Thanks!

[Flowerteacher55]

Hello, @Sumshine!!

I hope you are well. That is such an interesting questions, and I have come across that information, too! 🙂 

According to an article from National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health Database, called "Persistent Genital Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Shedding Years Following the First Clinical Episode," published in 2011...

Original Source Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3058740/

"HSV-2 shedding may also decrease over time, as 2 studies demonstrated that subclinical shedding rates declined by approximately half after the first year of infection [6, 8]. Despite these observations, detailed data on genital HSV-2 shedding many years after herpes acquisition are limited. Because the long-term natural history of genital herpes affects the risk of transmission, and consequently has psychosocial, clinical management, and public health implications, we sought to describe patterns of genital HSV-2 shedding and recurrences in years remote from the first genital herpes episode."

Notice that this says it MAY decrease over time. All bodies are different, but these studies do show the trend is possible! This article is citing two other articles that show the possible decrease in shedding over time. To view the studies that show the declining shedding rates, you can read them here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7643884/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12353185/ (note, this second article is specific to shedding in men).

I hope that this helps offer some comfort and help! 🙂 

Blessings! 🙂 

-- Grace