National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Program and Training Branch
Partner Management
Counseling of infected persons and their sex partners is critical to management of genital herpes. Sex partners are likely to benefit from evaluation and counseling.
Symptomatic sex partners should be evaluated and treated in the same manner as patients who have genital lesions.
Asymptomatic sex partners of patients who have genital herpes should be asked about any history of genital lesions, counseled about the risk of asymptomatic transmission, taught to recognize symptoms of herpes, and offered type-specific serologic testing for HSV infection. Type-specific serologic testing of asymptomatic partners of persons with genital herpes can determine whether the risk of HSV acquisition exists.
