What clinical/nuts-and-bolts questions do you have about herpes?

[mr_hopp]

As part of my interview series with truly incredible, knowledgeable and wonderful people for the H Opportunity home study course (11 AWESOME interviews done so far — including our very own Dancer — and 15 left to go), I will be interviewing a truly knowledgeable person about the clinical side of herpes Monday afternoon. I'm wondering what kinds of medical kinds of questions you'd like me to ask about how herpes works or any sort of specific nitty-gritty questions that are swimming around in your heads? I'm putting together a list and want you to add yours! Thanks! :)

[mr_hopp]

Here are my initial questions that I'm building on ...

 

How does herpes work in our bodies? Can you walk us through from initial infection to dormancy to recurring outbreaks and what’s happening there?

 

15-20% of people who get herpes never have a visible outbreak. Can they still pass herpes if it stays dormant the rest of their lives?

 

How does herpes travel from the spine to the surface of the skin?

 

How come herpes outbreaks for some people show up at the same spot every time while for others, it moves around a bit?

 

How does keeping a healthy immune system affect herpes outbreaks?

 

How come stress makes it more likely that an outbreak will occur?

 

How does viral shedding work and what link does it have to an active outbreak?

 

Why can’t you pass herpes from sitting on a toilet seat, using a towel after someone or drinking after someone?

 

For some people, the site of their outbreaks isn’t on the genitals (buttocks, hand, breast); if the site of their herpes outbreak isn’t the genitals, then can they pass herpes through their genitals?

 

If someone has genital herpes (either HSV-1 or HSV-2), how come herpes can’t be spread from kissing?

 

If someone gets a positive herpes diagnosis based on a blood test, but they’ve never had a herpes outbreak, how do they know at what location on their body they could pass herpes based on viral shedding?

 

Any other helpful facts or clinical knowledge that you’d like to pass along?

[Aikea]

*How long do you need to be on suppressive therapy before it becomes effective in not shedding/passing herpes along to your H- partner?

 

*What's the percentage likelihood of your H- partner getting herpes is you have sex unknowing that it was just before an before a herpes outbreak?

[HerryTheHerp]

If a train leaves from Boston going 85 mph at 2:30pm, and a plane leaves from Dallas at 3:00pm going 345 mph, will they be in Cleveland or or Chicago first before the passengers on either realize that 1/6th of the people on board have HSV2?

 

What are the medical/DNA differences between HSV1 & 2. Why is it possible to vaccinate against chicken pox and shingles, but not either of these two members of the herpes family? What are the known barriers to creating an effective HSV1 & 2 vaccine?

 

Why aren't HSV1 and 2 included in the standard STD kit?

 

What are effective preventative measures serodiscordant couples can take to prevent transmission?

 

Does having an establishes HSV1 infection help control an acquired HSV2 infection better?

 

Why do both HSV1 and HSV2 infections gradually reduce in severity/frequency over time. Is there a way to speed up the process?

 

 

[Yadira]

Hi Adrial!

 

Can you maybe ask a question related to pregnancy & HSV2? Something like: if a woman has tested positive for HSV2 but has never had a visible outbreak, then what are the chances / percentages she will have an outbreak during pregnancy? (I'm wondering b/c I've read that sometimes outbreaks happen due to hormonal changes)

 

Thanks so much! :-)

[victoriaxxx]

((:

[whatsallthehubbub]

Any questions that shed light on viral shedding would be helpful . Like.. where are you shedding from? Everywhere or anywhere in the boxer area or is it largely from the genital area or the place you normally have OB. Viral shedding frankly scares the hell out of me. Where did they swab to get their test data.

[victoriaxxx]

I have a question about Acyclovir..

Can it potentially hurt you in the long run ?

[abc123]

These are all good questions. My question is this: why do some people have severe OB's, with very painful blisters, general pain, pain during urination, etc... While others have very mild, almost non existent symptoms? I am "positive" I was passed the infection during a time when my then partner had viral shedding. My OB didn't happen for a long, long, long time after that. Hence,I never knew i had it. So, if you contact the virus through shedding, does that generally mean your symptoms take longer to appear and less severe? It's so confusing. And I agree with being really, really mad knowing NOW that unless you specify you want an H test with your blood work, they don't automatically test you for it. How f'cked up is that? If I take my medication every day, does that mean I will never have another OB again? Or at least a very mild one? Thanks guys, hugs, abc123

[WCSDancer2010]

Why do so many people have such inconclusive results with the common testing methods...

 

and

 

If Western Blot and/or PCR blood test are so accurate, why don't they just use that (and I don't buy the expense argument given how many people have to go back several times to get a conclusive result) :p