Importance of knowing whether it's HSV-1 or HSV-2

[Beckie]

Can someone summarize why it's so important to know which type of herpes you have? I've read the stats about the difference between them in terms of the prevalence and viral shedding time, but I've also recently had three mirrors from health care professionals (another one again tonight) about how "herpes is herpes" and whether it's type 1 or type 2, you'd have to deal with it the same way so 'no need to find out". I live in Manitoba, Canada and many of our STD clinics don't even offer the IgG test because this is the overall attitude. This attitude doesn't feel integral, but I was having a hard time debating this fact with the nurses/doctors....thoughts?

[mr_hopp]

It's true that herpes is herpes and you're going to care for yourself the same way regardless of whether you have HSV-1 orally or genitally and whether you have genital HSV-2 (very rarely — 2% — do people have oral HSV-2). The important part in all this is to be knowledgeable for your partner's sake if they don't have herpes (or if they have a different type than you have). They will most likely want to know what the chances of transmission are. So knowing your HSV type will help them understand the risks involved.

[Beckie]

Yes! Thank you :-bd

[Beckie]

And score, I just found an article posted back in August entitled "Good" herpes virus, "bad" herpes virus: The truth about HSV-1 and HSV-2....EXACTLY what I needed to read....BOOM SHAKALAKA! What an awesome resource this site is...many thanks =D>