HSV II and safe sex vs. sex with anyone...

[tallguy]

Hello,

I am infected my possible partner is not. When i have sex with someone non-infected i am positively anal (no pun) about cleanliness. I never touch myself then her, i wash my hands constantly, always wear a condom, etc.. Now since so many people do not know they are infected, what poses more risk: having safe sex with someone consciously aware of their STD status and takes such precautions, or having sex with someone unaware (not tested) who has safe sex but surely doesn't worry about accidentally rubbing their sex upon another's, washing hands, touching themselves then touching their partner, etc..?

Is there any study on this? I found a study that says in about 6% of people can get HSV II from someone infected without sores and that number is cut in half when using condoms (I don't know the percentage if lesions are apparent).

I would think odds of getting HSV II are greater with someone untested (regularly) who has shown no symptoms than sex than with someone with HSV II who takes such precautions.

Any thoughts?

thank you...

[BoxofRain]

No, i personally think the risk is higher with someone who is infected due to asymptomatic shedding and also the fact that condoms are only affective if the person carrying the virus gets outbreaks or is shedding on an area the condom protects....and for millions of people outbreaks occur in areas outside where a condom covers.....also, a lot of women get outbreaks in areas outside where the condom goes and that allows transmission of the virus to occur more often during "safe" sex. So, unfortunately I think there is risk either way, but using a condom with someone infected still poses a greater risk in my opinion. Also there is no guarantee or set statistic that people can go on when it comes to herpes transmission because every body is different and people with the virus shed differently than one another...some shed more often, or less....but you can never be sure so its always a gamble.

True about it being a risk with someone who is not tested...but chances are they may have something else that can be cured, have nothing at all, or perhaps have herpes but without any visible symptoms of it and a condom will only be effective if covering an area that is shedding in this scenario as well....but there is sooo much more room for the possibility of the person to not be carrying herpes virus, versus when it comes to having sex with someone infected with the herpes virus because then there is a clear known risk present.