Genital herpes

Genital herpes is caused by the same virus that causes cold sores around your mouth. The virus is known as “HSV” (short for herpes simplex virus). HSV is very common in Aotearoa New Zealand: around 1 in 3 adults have it.  

Many people don’t notice any symptoms and don’t know they have HSV – but can still pass it on to their partners or sexual contacts. 

If you have an outbreak of genital herpes, anti-viral medication will help the sores go away faster. 

Do I need an STI test?

Genital herpes is caused by two types of the herpes simplex virus (known as “HSV” for short). It’s one of the most common viruses in the world.

Both types look the same and cause the same symptoms: 

• HSV1 is the common cold sore virus. It can affect both the mouth (cold sores) and the genital area. Up to 50% of genital herpes is caused by HSV1. 
• HSV2 is the genital herpes virus. It most commonly affects the genital area. 

HSV stays in your body for life, similar to other chronic viruses like glandular fever and the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles. It can become active and cause symptoms off and on throughout your life. 

You can get genital herpes from having unprotected sex or from close skin-to-skin contact with someone.

This includes vaginal sex, anal sex, or oral sex without external or internal condoms or oral dams – as well as touching the areas where you have blisters, sores, or ulcers. 

Sometimes you can get HSV through saliva from someone who doesn’t have any symptoms. 

Most people have genital herpes without realising. Once you have HSV – the virus that causes herpes – it stays in your body for life.

You might have no symptoms at the time you are infected, then later have outbreaks of symptoms.

If you do have symptoms, they might include:  

• painful blisters, ulcers, or sores in your genital area 
• tiredness 
• fever 
• aching muscles 

The first time you have an outbreak of genital herpes is normally the worst. Symptoms can start with tingling, itching, or burning sensation around the genitals (vulva, penis, and anus).

This is followed by painful red spots that become blisters within a day or two. The blisters will then burst, leaving painful ulcers which will scab over and heal. 

About 80% of people with genital herpes have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. You can pass on HSV even if you don’t have any symptoms.

You can only be tested for HSV if you have symptoms.

The best thing for you to do is make an in-person appointment so that a clinician can do an external or internal examination and then use a swab (a long cotton bud) to take a sample from the infected area.

You can make an appointment with:

• your usual doctor
• a medical centre
• Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
• a sexual health clinic  

Find a provider

Talk to the provider or organisation where you did your test to find out when they’ll let you know the results.

Anti-viral medication (tablets) is used to treat genital herpes. This will make your sores go away faster. This medication can be used to treat outbreaks when they happen and to prevent them from happening again.

Topical gels and painkillers like ibuprofen and paracetamol can help with pain during a genital herpes outbreak. It can also help to drink plenty of water to dilute your urine so it doesn’t sting when you pee/mimi.

You can see your usual doctor or another treatment provider to get treatment for genital herpes.

There are also other ways to make yourself more comfortable when you have an outbreak. 

• Don't have sex, or skin-to-skin contact using the infected area, for as long as you have symptoms

• Use condoms or oral dams when you have sex

• If it's safe, tell the people that you regularly have sex with – Herpes NZ has some good tips. 

What to do if you test positive

The safe way to protect yourself from genital herpes and other STIs is using condoms or oral dams every time you have sex.

Using lube with condoms helps to prevent the condom from breaking during sex by reducing friction. Lube can also make sex more pleasurable for some people.

Many STIs don’t have obvious symptoms, including genital herpes. You can’t be tested for herpes if you don’t have symptoms. But it’s still important to get tested for other STIs anytime you have sex with a new person, or before and after unprotected sex. 

When to get an STI test