I'm just wondering if anyone has done any research, or can point me in the right direction of general statistics about genital herpes.

I have questions like, are women more probable to get it from men? Or visa versa? Is it as easy to transmit via oral sex as vaginal? Does the very first outbreak occur shortly after you've been exposed to the virus, or can it lay dormant?

Hi,

Yes women are more likely to get it from a man.

It is possible to transmit herpes through oral even when there are no signs or symptoms... as well as transmitting it genitally without signs or symptoms.

The first outbreak is different for everyone so some people push it aside as jock itch or a yeast infection.. or some people will not have an out break for some years down the line ..or some may never have an outbreak and just find out through a blood test that they are positive. So yes it is possible for it to stay dormant :)

Here are the Female to Male transmission rates

If you have 100 couples where the female has HSV 2 but not the male (these figures are over a year) the odds of female to male transmission are if you do nothing other than avoid sex during an outbreak 4 men out of a 100 will get herpes in a year or 4% If you do go on a suppressive therapy then it drops to 2 men out of a 100 in a year or 2% and if you use suppressive and a condom the chances are 1 man out of a 100 will get herpes in one year or 1%.

Male to Female Transmission Rate

If you have 100 couples where the male has HSV 2 but not the female (these figures are over a year) the odds of male to female transmission are if you do nothing (other than avoid sex when there is an outbreak) 8-10 females out of a 100 will get herpes in a year or 8-10% If you do go on a suppressive therapy then it drops to 4-5 females out of a 100 in a year or 4-5% and if you use suppressive therapy and a condom the chances are 2-3 females out of a 100 will get herpes in one year or 2-3%.

The valtrex and transmission study stats are based on having sex 2 times/week.