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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]PP-  If you had a cold sore, you have herpes.  3/4 of the population has it.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/coldsores.htm[/quote]

This is right.  Most people get it before they're adults (most likely from kissing their parents).  However, for most people, the virus lies dormant, so they don't get cold sores even though they carry the virus (and therefore, technically, have herpes).  That's why 3/4 of the population has it, but 3/4 of the population doesn't get cold sores (and consequently, most people don't think they have it).

And the PP who noted the distinction between genital (type 2) and "general" (type 1) is also right.  It used to be a forgone conclusion that if you tested positive for type 2, it was genital, and type 1 meant it was only infected in your mouth area.  However, you can get either type in either location on your body.  Presumably, it's the increased prevalence of casual oral sex that's caused this.

The only way to test for herpes if there's no active outbreak is by a blood test, which isn't routinely done (and is generally not a part of the typical STD work-up).  But it's not all the helpful, since if you test positive for either type, it doesn't really tell you much other than that you carry the virus, and possibly, you could get an outbreak somewhere on your body.  But maybe you never will. [/quote]

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