Question:
I contracted herpes 17 years ago. While I never had it confirmed by a blood test, the symptoms were pretty classic. Within a few years, my outbreaks became less and less frequent (1 -2 times a year) and milder and milder in form. For the past 10 years or so, I've been completely asymptomatic. During that time, I also was in several shorter and one long term relationship. To the best of my knowledge, not one of the women ever contracted herpes. I recently became single again and begin to date. Without question, it's always been my policy to inform a woman of my condition prior to our being intimate. But what is the best way to express the status of my condition? Ten years of being completely asymptomatic and apparently noncontagious is a long time. Are there studies that show that a given percentage of herpes carriers pass into such an asymptomatic and noncontagious stage? In places such as this forum, there seem to always be those who hasten to point out, "ah, but there is always the possibility," etc. But is that "possibility" 1 in 10? 1 in 100,000? I'd like to see facts, if they exist. Thanks in advance for any insights the readers of this posting can provide.

Answer:
I just wanted to thank you for the hope that 10 years from now, i may be asymptomatic and virtually noncontagious. :)

Answer:
After doing a little research on my own, I found this in The Updated Herpes Handbook:

"People often want to know what the chances are of getting herpes from another person. Overall, the risk is about 10% per year that an infected male would transmit HSV 2 to an uninfected female. That is, if 100 infected men were having one-on-one sex with 100 uninfected women, about 10 women would get infected per year. If the situation were reversed, about 4 uninfected men would get herpes in a year from infected women."

While it doesn't address the question I posed, it does give people with HSV 2 some reason to feel a bit encouraged. In other words, it's 90% more likely that an infected man (presumably with no outbreak present) will NOT infect an uninfected partner and 96% more likely that a woman in the same condition will NOT infect her male partner.

Answer:
Yet I recieved herpes after one night, with a girl that showed no symptoms, and I had my boxers on with Zero direct skin to skin contact... I'm not sure if I totally believe some of the statistics... there are too many on here that got it within their first few sexual experiences with a partner.

Answer:
The statistics that are mentioned @ 10 % are in all actuality pertaining to a relationship status, and PROTECTED SEX 10% is the risk the partner will get it anyway, and like the other response...I received it from 1 go at it...unprotected. Mr. Asymptomatic....are you sure you haven't even had the little tiny ones you get sometimes, that most would not consider a "true OB" ? Check wickipedis under herpes, and they relate the statistics.