Female to male herpes transmission or vice versa can be through oral, anal or vaginal sexual activity with an infected person. The herpes viruses can also survive for several hours on toilet seats or other objects, where they can be picked up by direct contact. Oral herpes is easily contracted by drinking from the same cup as an infected person, by kissing, and even by sharing towels. But genital herpes in men and women is generally spread by coitus or by oral or anal sex.
Many people do not realize that they are infected, and so they can be unknowingly transmit the virus through sexual contact. And many of the people who do they are infected don’t realize that they can pass along the virus even when they have no noticeable outbreak. Although genital herpes is most contagious during active flare-ups, female to male herpes transmission can also occur when an infected partner has no symptoms (genital sores or feelings of burning or itching in the genitals). Any intimate contact with an infected person carries some risk of transmission of the virus, even if the infected person never has another outbreak. People may also be infected with the virus and have no outbreaks, and yet pass the virus along to others.
Herpes can also be spread from one part of the body to another by touching the infected area and then touching another body part. One potentially serious result is a herpes infection of the eye: ocular herpes. Thorough washing with soap and water after touching an infected area may reduce the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of the body. Still, it is best to avoid touching the infected area altogether, especially if there are active sores.
Women with genital herpes are more likely than the general population to have miscarriages. Passage through the birth canal of an infected mother can infect babies with genital herpes, damaging or killing them. Obstetricians thus often perform Caesarean sections if the mother has active lesions or prodromal symptoms at the time of delivery. Herpes can also place women at greater risk of genital cancers, such as cervical cancer. All women, not just women with herpes, are advised to have pelvic examinations, including Pap tests for early detection of cervical cancer.
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