 [ Symptoms ] how long can herpes stay in your system before an outbreak years  been married for 16 12 years no infidelity but he is not my first is it possible to have contracted the virus that long ago and not have an outbreak until today [ Disease ] i was just diagnosed after being faithfully married for 10 yrs and only 1 other partner before him so i would like to know the answer to your question as well i am sure you feel just as hopeless as i do and i still have so many unanswered questions it seems <negative_smiley> life is so unfair