Updated August 2025
Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Herpes Simplex Virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2).
Most people who get herpes are not aware of the infection. They may have no symptoms or mild symptoms that can be mistaken for an ingrown hair, rash, or skin irritation. During a genital herpes “outbreak”, one or more blisters appear around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break and leave painful sores that may take two to three weeks to heal without treatment. During the first outbreak, there may also be flu-like symptoms (e.g., fever, swollen glands, body aches).
The herpes virus stays in the body indefinitely and can cause future outbreaks. The number of outbreaks tends to decrease with time and repeat outbreaks are usually less severe and shorter. Sometimes a person may not have a noticeable outbreak until years after they first get the infection.
If you touch your sores, you can spread herpes to other parts of the body. It is important to wash and dry your hands carefully if you touch herpes sores.
There are two types of viruses that cause genital herpes: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is the virus that causes cold sores and can also infect the genitals through unprotected oral sex. HSV-2 usually infects the genital area. People with HSV-2 typically get more outbreaks a year than those with HSV-1.
Healthcare providers often diagnose herpes by looking at your sores if present and taking a sample from the sores for testing. Blood tests are sometimes used to confirm a history of herpes infection. It takes about three to six months after infection for herpes to show up on blood tests.
Genital herpes can make it easier for a person to get infected with HIV. It can also increase the risk of someone living with HIV spreading HIV to others.
Infants born to mothers infected with HSV can be exposed to the virus during delivery. This can cause a very serious and often deadly infection (neonatal herpes).
Pregnant people who have genital herpes can have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. You may need to take antiviral medication at the end of your pregnancy. However, if someone develops genital herpes late in the pregnancy there is a greater risk of passing the infection onto the baby. A C-section delivery is usually done to decrease the risk, especially if there are sores at the time of delivery. If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, it is important to talk to your doctor or midwife about how to reduce the risk of passing herpes to your baby during delivery.
Having multiple sexual partners increases your risk of getting exposed to HSV. Other risk factors include having unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex, having anonymous sex, and having another STI.
There is treatment but no cure. Treatment with antiviral medication works best when you take it within three to seven days of the start of symptoms. It helps the sores to heal more quickly. Medication taken every day (suppressive therapy) can also help prevent outbreaks and lower the risk of passing the infection to an uninfected partner.
Here are some things you can do to feel better:
Herpes is spread by skin-to-skin contact and contact with oral and genital fluids. You can get herpes without having sex. The sores release the virus but a person can also “shed” virus when there are no visible sores. This means that a person can infect a partner even when there are no symptoms or when a person does not know they are infected.
Generally, a person gets HSV-2 infection during genital-to-genital contact with someone who has HSV-2. HSV-2 rarely causes infection on or in the mouth. HSV-1 causes infection in the mouth and on the lips (cold sores or “fever blisters”). But a person with a history of cold sores can pass HSV-1 to their partner’s genitals through unprotected oral sex. Someone with genital herpes caused by HSV-1 can also pass it on to their partner through genital-to-genital contact.
You should tell your sexual partner(s) you have HSV before you have sexual contact, including oral sex. Latex condoms, used consistently, can help reduce the risk of genital herpes but don’t provide full protection as herpes sores can be in places a condom can’t cover. If you have symptoms or sores, avoid any sexual contact until the sores are completely healed and symptoms have gone away. Healed skin means the scab has fallen off and the skin looks normal. Avoid kissing or oral sex when you have a cold sore. Daily antiviral medication (suppressive therapy) can also help reduce the risk of passing on the infection.
Call the Sexual Health Infoline Ontario at 416-392-2437 or 1-800-668-2437 or visit toronto.ca/health.
Safer sex: To reduce your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), use a condom every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex.