hi while hsv can be a frustrating and painful condition for some people in general the virus is less a medical problem than a social problem. for most of us genital herpes is no more dangerous than a cold sore. most people with genital herpes don't know they have it and are unaware they may be spreading it to others. many have no symptoms or mistake their symptoms for something else such as jock itch insect bites hemorrhoids yeast infections razor burn or allergies to laundry detergent. so yes it can stay hidden for years before it surfaces and shows up in tests. do hope this helps you. good luck
is it possible to go undiagnosed for years? . i was just recently diagnosed with genital herpes. i was completely unaware that i might even possibly have them. the only "symptoms" i had was some vaginal itching and irritation before i started my period.