Risks of Transmission

[Ryanhz]

What are the odds of contracting genital herpes from having oral sex performed on you. I am a married man, but before I got married, a woman briefly performed oral sex on me- lasting about 5 minutes.

Since than, I continously exam my penis and have freaked my self out. Once I got a small red bump that was only visible if the skin was stretched out but after reading all the junk on the internet, I am worried it could have been signs of herpes. I also noticed some very mild redness on my glans but I have never had pain, itching, discharge, oozing, or anything else- just one extremely extremely small pimple looking thing. Is it even possible to get a small pimple on the penis or does that mean that you have herpes? I have always been told that you would get noticeable symptoms if you had genital herpes and so I dont understand how you could have it and not know. I just dont want to put my wife at risk. Please let me know the risks of transmission from receiving oral sex. Is it difficult for the herpes virus to enter the skin of the penis absent any cuts or abrasions or does that not matter. Any assistance you could provide would be appreciated.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It is quite unlikely that you could contract herpes that way.  The more common herpes type in the mouth is type 1, which can set up shop in the genitalia, but tends to recur less.  However, the woman who performed the act presumably did not have a visible cold sore, which makes transmission extremely unlikely.  Even more important, your description doesn't sound anything like herpes.  If you remain anxious despite this reassurance, you might want to get a blood test--a negative test for herpes 2 should clinch the point.  A glycoprotein-based antibody test for herpes IgG is the one to ask for.

You're almost certainly OK.  It's time to get past this.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[ROAD RUNNER]

Dude im no doctor but just reading websites and all the questions people ask the doc, you dont have herpes.  Everyone gets a pimple or a irritated mark or redness on the penis.  You just now noticed it because of your guilt or anxiety from having that girl go down on you.  People who think they have herpes began to have anxiety fearing that they have herpes or symptoms.  But the fact is most of the symptoms are just anxiety not that you have the virus.  Trust me when the doc responds and tells you its not herpes youll feel better but youll still worry and stay up late reading about herpes.  I think youll be fine! GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND

[Ryanhz]

Roaddrunner,
My dad was a doctor and I think that he would have agreed with you 100%. I am typically a pretty paranoid person and all of the little symptoms that I have experienced have come up after I learned that you could get herpes from oral sex and after I started examining myself 8-10 times a day. I imagine that touching and squeezing your penis all the time doesn't help. I appreciate your feedback. I am going to try and stop worrying about this.