Thursday, March 19, 2009
Should I say I have herpes or should I keep quiet? Without exception, every health professional or health educator will say you have a responsibility and a duty to disclose your condition. It sounds easy in principle, but how do you go about telling someone you have genital herpes? In this sharepost ...
I like your comments regarding disclosing herpes; however, I disagree that you can manage your herpes. My ex-partner (a medical doctor) denied having any STDs alleging that he believed he could not infect anyone since he had been outbreak free for years despite articles in the Journal of American Medicine and the New York Times stating otherwise in the early 2000's. There are persons who have been with infected partners for years without incident.
70% of all persons infected with herpes are infected by partnes without any symptoms. A condom is only 30% effective and an antiviral drug is 49% effective. The combination of both improve the effectiveness but unfortunately not close to 100%. There are infected persons that overstate or do not disclose herpes believing they are managing their herpes. Unfortunately, innocent persons are infected with herpes out of ignorance of the facts. The only way not to get herpes is not to have sexual relations with an infected partners.
Most states recognize that innocent victims infected by partners with herpes have civil rights to seek compensation for emotional and financial damages. State laws assume infected partners are required to educate themselves about asymptomatic herpes and not gambled with another person's health. People with weakened immune systems are at further risk with herpes. It is in the best interests of all infected persons to disclose herpes accurately.
Unfortunately, there is a stigma associated with herpes. However, persons may not be interested in relationships with partners infected with diabetes or heart disease. The same is true with herpes-- it's part of life.