It is true that taking some medications can help lower the risk of passing herpes to a partner, but there is still a chance you could infect a partner. Using condoms and other latex barriers during oral, anal or vaginal sex will help lower the chances even more.

Certain medications used for treating herpes outbreaks can also help to reduce something called viral shedding. Sometimes a person has symptoms—such as blisters, itching or a tingling sensation—when the virus can be “shed” (passed) to a partner, even though the shedding isn’t accompanied by signs or symptoms. Certain medications can reduce this shedding significantly.

While there are no guarantees, taking these medications and also using condoms and other latex barriers every time you have oral, anal or vaginal sex is a good way to help prevent passing the virus to your partner. Just keep in mind that condoms can’t prevent infections from spreading if a person has an infection on the skin not covered by the condom. For example, if a person has a herpes sore on their upper thigh, then his or her partner could rub against it and also become infected with herpes.