Cold Sore Info

[jersey1234]

DrHHH Sent me over here due to the nature of my question. I took a sip from a girls yoohoo bottle on a sat morning at around 5AM. Forgot she developed a cold sore previous wed.(i'm hsv-1 neg) She started zovirax thursday. I believe the sore was dried up, she let me look at it after i sipped, but i was also slightly intoxicated, so i cannot say for certain and dont know if it would dry up that quick even with zovirax.fast forward-was very careful not to touch mouth and then genitals, i knew auto innoc. was possible for an initial exposure. day 12, no signs whatsoever, touched mouth, than genitals to urinate. now day 18, no signs. questions-1)If I am wrong about the sore being dried up, was it possible to be infected and then infect my genitals in the manner i described. 2)again at day 12, no symptom, if there was a viral load on my lip, was it sufficient enough to be transferred. 3) again, now day 18, am I worrying about nothing. (Assuming yes, ..anxiety disorder)

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Yes, I blieve you are worrying about nothing.  It is very difficult to transmit herpes through contact with a bottle.  All the more so when the girl didn't have a frank cold sore and you didn'y touch the bottle for days.  Plus, you've gone all these days without any signs.  Please forget about it.  Thanks.

Dr. Rockoff

[jersey1234]

Would it be possible to spread it to another area of the body without an actual "outbreak", like through asymptomatic shedding. Again this would be an initial encounter with the virus. I am just curious.....Do you need an actual active sore to touch, or could you touch an area thats asymptomatically shedding and infect another part of the body, is it even possible? I am sorry for the follow up, this should have really been my first and only question up top...

[slacker101]

It is possible but only for the very first outbreak, not recurrent ones.. You don't have it so relax. Herpes from a yoohoo bottle, yikes. Worry more about what would happen if the bottle broke while drinking it and you cut the hell out of your face because that's a more realistic worry than catching herpes :)

[Sha24]

If i were you, i would worry. from what i have researched and have been told, you can catch herpes if someone infected kisses you on the cheek. Herpes is HIGHLY contagious. You should check out www.valtrex.com, this site is very helpfull with any questions you may have. Also you should be tested to be safe. Never share any food or beverage with anyone because you don't know what you may come in contact with. Best wishes.

[desperate4answers2]

Sha24... quit making everyone paranoid.  Of course it is contagious but more importantly, it is not the end of the world if you were to get it.  60 to 80% of the US population have oral herpes (HSV1) and up to 20% have genital herpes (HSV2).  Problem is that 90% of those people don't know they have it.  But no one dies from it.  It is strictly an annoyance.  My advise to everyone is if you have sex, use a condom.  Ask any new partner their history and if they have been tested or better yet, get tested together.  Live healthy and be happy and avoid stress.  If you have herpes, you are much less likely to have an outbreak and if you don't, you are living a healthier life anyway.  So shut up already.  I am beginning to think you are a major stock holder in Valtrex as you keep pointing everyone there.  For those of you who do get it, life will go on!!!