So, when having sex with a new partner, it’s always best to follow safe sex tips (see below). In fact, many people don’t know themselves whether or not they are infected. Mostly, you won’t know whether or not your sexual partner is infected with one of the viruses that cause genital herpes. So it’s possible to transmit the virus to sexual partners even if you don’t have symptoms (although this is less likely than when you have active lesions). Some people with genital herpes have outbreaks of genital sores, while other people have no symptoms at all and don’t even know they have the virus in their body. How do you know if someone has genital herpes?
The medical term for the herpes simplex virus being released from the surface of the skin is called viral shedding.
However, even when a person has no symptoms, the herpes virus can still be present on the skin and be transmitted (passed on) to other people who come into close contact. The herpes virus is most often spread from person to person when someone is having an outbreak of genital herpes, as the virus is contained in the blisters and sores on the skin.
