Originally posted by TheButler at 17-11-2011 07:14
Those high incidence rates (90% for example) are flawed for our purposes. I've seen references of below 50% to over 80% for positive herpes tests in the U.S., but the antibody test they're using picks up all sorts of herpes variants (including chicken pox, the varicella-zoster virus which is a herpes virus and practically universal).
The cross-reaction you are referencing occurs with IgM testing, which has almost universally been discredited. An IgG test that results in a high positive is almost never falsely positive.
So when the drug companies, or the CDC or herpessuppliesforsale.com publishes an 80% infection rate they are using the most liberal interpretation of the data.
There are a ton of peer-reviewed journal articles where daily PCR testing, viral cultures, IgG, Western Blot, etc. are used to come up with those numbers. They're pretty solid. I am just bandying around 2/3 in the United States and 90% in Italy. The latest numbers can be dug up pretty quickly from any google search/wikipedia.
Think about it: if 80 or 90% of the population was infected: 1. you'd see a lot more cold sores, and 2: the world would quickly go to 100%
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That's not how the transmission of HSV-1 or HSV-2 occurs. Thank God. Herpes does not have the transmission potential of, say, gonorrhea to a woman where a single act of intercourse might have an 80% chance of transmission. In the absence of lesions, be it a social kiss, a receptive BJ or unprotected intercourse (for either virus type), HSV transmission will only occur once in many hundred instances when everything breaks just wrong. That is why oral HSV increases linearly as we age because there are more and more exposures with the possibility of transmission.
And, as most herpes infections are asymptomatic or unrecognized symptomatic, we don't get to see/notice scabs on everybody's lips. Thank God,again.
I hate railing on about HSV, particularly on a fun forum like this, but I just want everybody to be armed with the proper information. Sure, I wouldd rather be the guy with awesome stories about Macau but we all have our lot in life. I am the guy who can sort of answer some STD questions. Ugh. Anyway, the meat and potatoes for mongering purposes:
1) If you've ever had a cold sore then you can be reasonably confident that you won't catch herpes from an unprotected BJ. Obviously, follow TheButler's advice of looking for and avoiding anything that looks like an active lesion.
2) The possibility of HSV-2 needs to be considered even with protected sex. Condoms only reduce transmission potential by about 50%. Figure a high percentage of WGs carry HSV-2 (not that there's anything wrong with that).
3) I hate HPV. Super easy to transmit. Anyone with a SO might want to consider a Gardasil shot. Don't believe the BS that you are too old and too male to get it.
4) Pretty much zero risk from HEs and CBJs. Of course, if we all did that this board would be super boring. Much like my post. Anyway.
5) If you have a SO then it is probably worth it to get an IgG test just to see where you stand so you can figure out your preferred strategy. |
