oral sex and herpes

[Billthe]

i had two sessions of oral sex with a woman about a month ago, both giving and receiving. last night she informed me that she has herpes. i have had no symptoms in the time since. she told me she has only had two outbreaks in the six years she has had herpes. should i be concerned?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

If she were spreading herpes virus while you had sex, you probably would have shown symptoms already.  People with herpes do shed virus between attacks, but in low titer (meaning, not too much virus.)  Unless you get a suspicious outbreak, I wouldn't worry.  And even if you do, you really won't be able to tell for absolute certain that it was these encounters that did it (unless you had no previous encounters.)

Meantime, no lesions is good news.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff