Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I have been tested for HSV 1 and 2. I am married and have a partner. I told my partner about it as soon as my husband told me. He got tested and told me he didnt have it but he was exposed to it. Is there such a thing as being exposed to it. I thought either you have it or you dont. Now hes telling me he just wants to be friends and not be together anymore. I feel so ashamed and rejected. I cry about this every day because before he was ok with it and we were careful and then all of a sudden he just wants to be friends. Do he have it or not?
[|AI|]  Dear patient, I totally understand your frustration and how this is affecting your personal life. Regarding HSV 1 and/or 2 infection the following points should be taken into consideration in order to understand the situation better.1- In case someone got infected by HSV 1 and or 2 then the virus will be always present in the body but wouldn't cause a recurrence unless there are certain circumstances like stress, sun exposure, other infection, immunosuppression ... So if your partner has been exposed to the virus meaning he has the virus, but the virus is not replicating (sleeping mode).2- Recurrence means that the virus that was sleeping is now replicating and this will cause symptoms (vesicular lesions with an erythematous base : blisters with redness of the skin) and pain. Any patient who has been previously exposed to the virus can have a recurrence.3- The way to know if someone has been exposed to the virus is by doing Egg and IGM against HSV 1 and 2. If they are positive it means that this person has the virus. However, to detect if certain genital or oral lesions are due to HSV (meaning recurrence) then a testing of the blisters (tank smear and culture) or a PCR from a swab from these blisters can give you the answer.4- there is no cure for HSV, however in case of recurrence the treatment will be acyclovir 400 mg three times daily for 10 days. I recommend that both of you to do the labs mentioned above and hence know your status before taking rapid decisions. Best regards