Can You Have Herpes and Never Have an Outbreak?
Yes, you can have herpes and never experience a visible outbreak. The CDC estimates that 87% of people with HSV-2 and up to 90% of those with HSV-1 are unaware they're infected because they never develop noticeable symptoms. The virus can remain dormant in nerve cells for years or even decades without causing blisters, sores, or other obvious signs. Even without symptoms, infected individuals can still transmit the virus to partners through viral shedding, which occurs intermittently. Many people only discover their herpes status through routine STD testing or when a partner tests positive.
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