Herpes Outbreak

Dear Ask The Doctor: Can you have genital herpes for years without ever having an outbreak? At one time I thought that I had it and after an exam by a dr. in her opinion I didn't. I am now noticing that the same bumps on my penis are coming back.

Dear Jason: The majority of people whove been infected with HSV never know they have the disease because they have no signs or symptoms. The signs and symptoms of HSV can be so mild they go unnoticed. The first outbreak is generally the worst, and some people never experience a second outbreak. Other people, however, can experience outbreaks as long as 40 years after the initial outbreak.The characteristics of the lesions are Small red bumps, blisters (vesicles) or open sores (ulcers) in the genital, anal or nearby areas also pain or itching should be present.If you suspect that you may have Herpes, you might want to get tested with a sample of your blood for the presence of HSV antibodies to detect a past herpes infection.