Herpes: What Everyone Should ... Video Transcript

Webcast Transcript

But we're talking about herpes simplex in the mouth. What do you suggest to a couple? Are they supposed to abstain from kissing?

ADAM STRACHER, MD: I don't think that's necessary. Again, most couples have probably transmitted what they're going to transmit at one point or another during their relationship, so I don't think that by telling a couple not to kiss that you're going to prevent them from spreading something that they probably have already spread. As far as if the person has an open lesion or an open sore, yes, you probably ought to avoid contact with that. If somebody has an open mouth lesion, then yes, contact should be avoided. That is a particularly infectious time. But other than that, no, I don't think it's generally recommended.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Let's pretend it's not a couple. You talk about not going out and having unprotected sex. Obviously, people would be at risk if they went out, met somebody and kissed them that night.

BRIAN BOYLE, MD: Yes, sure.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Realistically, can you prevent people from engaging in that activity?

BRIAN BOYLE, MD: Not the kissing part, no. I think you're absolutely right, yes. Everyone is at minimal risk. But the main way this is spread, the main way genital herpes is spread is through genital contact, oral-genital contact. Herpes can certainly be spread if someone has an open lesion in their mouth or is asymptomatically shedding herpes in their mouth at that particular time. But that's less likely. The main gist of where this is going to occur is going to be through unprotected sex of some sort, not through kissing.

ADAM STRACHER, MD: And many, many individuals have been exposed to herpes simplex 1, for sure, as well as herpes simplex 2 and never develop symptoms, so they may either be protected or they may potentially be able to spread, but they may have been infected many, many years ago and never have had an outbreak and are not at risk at getting it from someone else because they've already been exposed. That's a very common scenario.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Just to wrap it up very quickly, what is the treatment? Ointments? Pills? How does that help you out? Does it just get rid of the lesions?

BRIAN BOYLE, MD: Yeah. I think that the treatment with a number of different -- There's an ointment you can put on the lesions that does help that contains acyclovir. There are a number of different medications now that can very effectively treat herpes and in some cases prevent it from occurring. So, yes, there are effective treatments and they can shorten the duration as well as, in some cases, prevent recurrence.

ADAM STRACHER, MD: Prevent recurrence as frequently.

BRIAN BOYLE, MD: In other words, you can't treat and make it go away, but in people who have frequent recurrences you can reduce those numbers of recurrences with treatment.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Gentleman, doctors, thank you very much for your expertise on this subject. We've been talking about herpes, and I've been joined by doctor Brian Boyle and Adam Stracher. Again, if you think you're at risk, if you're having unprotected sex, it would behoove you to your partner, everybody else to see your doctor. I'm David Folk Thomas, thanks for joining us.

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