I Have Herpes but No Symptoms. Do I still have to tell my partner?
Do I need to tell people I have herpes if I don’t have any symptoms?
Yes, you do need to tell your partners you have herpes, even if you don’t have symptoms. Per the World Health Organization (2023), most herpes infections are asymptomatic, meaning people don’t know that they have the virus. People may also have such mild symptoms that they are mistaken for something else or overlooked.
Even though you may not have visible symptoms, the herpes virus can still transmit from one partner to another through something called asymptomatic shedding. While transmission rates are reduced during this time, it is still possible for someone to get herpes.
Yes, if you know you have herpes, even if it is an asymptomatic infection, it is your responsibility to tell your partners. Just the same way as it is their responsibility to inform you of their STI status-even if it’s negative.
If you recently asked this question, or are still wavering back and forth on this response - don’t fret! Let’s take a step back and look at the question itself - simply asking some form of “do I have to disclose?” represents subtleties of the stigma around herpes.
It’s not your fault. Most of us never learned how to communicate with our partners about STIs because we were taught to avoid them altogether. The same can be said about STI testing as self-care and staying informed about our sexual health. This is often why it feels unnatural, awkward, or even embarrassing.
Sharing your STI test is important for informed consent among partners, but it’s also a part of taking care of your sexual self.