• Once you have been infected with the genital herpes virus, you are carrier for the rest of his life and we are exposed to multiple recurrences;
• By being careful not to contract genital herpes, you protect yourself from the consequences of the infection and you also protect your sexual partners.

• Not to have sex genital, anal or oral with a person who has lesions, until they are completely healed;
• Always use a condom if one of the two partners is a carrier of the genital herpes virus. Indeed, a carrier is always likely to transmit the virus, even if it is asymptomatic (that is to say if it does not present symptoms);
• The condom does not completely protect against the transmission of the virus because it does not always cover the infected areas. To ensure better protection, a condom for women, which covers the vulva;
• La dental dam can be used as protection during oral sex.

• Avoid triggering factors. Carefully observing what happens before a relapse can help determine the circumstances that are contributing to the relapses (stress, medication, etc.). These triggers can then be avoided or reduced as much as possible. See the Risk Factors section.
• Strengthen your immune system. Controlling a recurrence of herpes virus infection relies heavily on strong immunity. A healthy diet (see the Nutrition file), sufficient sleep and physical activity are some of the factors that contribute to good immunity.

In clinics, screening for genital herpes is not done as is the case with others. sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as syphilis, viral hepatitis, and HIV.

On the other hand, in certain specific cases, a doctor can prescribe a blood test. This test detects the presence of antibodies to the herpes virus in the blood (HSV type 1 or 2, or both). If the result is negative, it makes it possible to establish with good certainty that a person is not infected. However, if the result is positive, the doctor cannot say for sure that the person really has the condition because this test often generates false positive results. In the event of a positive result, the doctor will also be able to rely on the patient’s symptoms, but if he does not or has never had any, the uncertainty increases.

The test can be useful to help with diagnostic herpes, for people who have had repeated genital lesions (if it was not apparent at the time of the doctor’s visit). Exceptionally, it can be used in other cases.

If you wish, discuss the suitability of having this test with your doctor. Note that it is normally necessary to wait 12 weeks after the onset of symptoms before having the blood drawn.