honesty is always the best policy. i am sure you would want to know if your partner had herpes and your partner should know if you have herpes. you may be surprises to find that you both have a history of herpes. if not the uninfected partner can take measures to prevent transmission to them. i know it can be embarrassing or even relationship-threatening to disclose this but it is the right thing to do. there have even been some successful lawsuits filed against a person who knowing gave another a sexually-transmitted disease. having a safe and healthy sexual relationship starts with honest communication including disclosure of a past herpetic infection and the importance of using condoms. remember that herpes is not the only sexually-transmitted disease out there.
should a person with herpes let their partner know even if protection is being used and there are no outbreaks