Let’s beat Herpes Simplex II.
Herpes simplex 2 or genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease within Boston’s gay and bisexual community. You can help stop its spread by learning more about the disease and getting tested. This site provides the information you need.

Make genital herpes testing part of your routine.
If you are sexually active, make (sexually transmitted disease) STD testing part of your routine. You have a few options:

  • Visit a testing site for free or low-cost testing
  • Get tested at your own health care provider's office or health center

Genital herpes is treatable, not curable.
 There is no cure for herpes simplex 2 infection, however, medications are available to reduce outbreaks and symptoms. Herpes may be annoying and uncomfortable, but it is not considered dangerous for adults.

Additional Information
Learn more about herpes by reading the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Herpes Fact Sheet. You can also read about Gay and Bisexual Men and STDs, another resource provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Please note, all fact sheet files are in Adobe PDF format. If the link appears to be broken, or you know you need a PDF reader, please visit the Adobe download page.

If you would like to see a picture of what signs or symptoms of this might looks like, please click here.