Can oral HSV 1 be transmitted to genitals?

[ja1432]

A couple days ago I noticed a little tenderness on my lip, like I had bitten it. There was only a little bit of redness and didn't look like anything. I dismissed it because I have never had a cold sore and it didn't even occur to me. That night I performed oral sex on my girlfriend. She then performed oral sex on me but for only a short time because my mom came downstairs so we stopped. The symptoms I was experiencing at the time was just tenderness. I felt no throbbing or tingling and there only appeared to be redness and like a little crack (on the middle of my bottom lip). No blisters and no fluid were present.

I then thought of the possiblity that it is a cold sore and talked to my mom. She has HSV 1 and has had cold sores infrequently ever since I can remember so I have probably been exposed to it (especially if transimmiting it to infants through breast milk is true). About a week ago I got the live virus swine flu vaccine. I'm wondering if this first cold sore is because my body is busy dealing with that and the dormant virus decided to come out.

I talked to my girlfriend that day we have been looking out for symptoms. I have been treating the spot on my lip with a cream my mom gave me and as of right now, I feel no bump, see no blisters, and its basically painless. It feels like it is getting better before its even got bad. It doesnt look like the scary cold sore pictures you see online. This morning (3rd day) I felt some tingling/pain and a little bit of throbbing in my lip while raking in the day. My symptoms have been very very subtle and mostly just tenderness.

My girlfriend said she felt some itchiness on her vagina and some tingling in her upper lip. She as far as we know does not have HSV-1.

My questions-
Could I transmit HSV-1 from my mouth to her vagina?
Can my infection be spread to my penis from my girlfriend kissing me and then performing oral sex on me?  
If she gets it will she get it both on her mouth and vagina or will the virus's potency fade below the waist and go to where it is more commonly, on the lips?
Could she get hsv 1 on her breasts?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[gracefromHHP]

no, hsv1 is not transmitted thru breast milk to infants. No idea where you got that idea from. Herpes is not a blood borne virus - it's transmitted thru direct skin on skin contact with the infected area.  Could you have had hsv1 orally - yes indeed but you would've gotten it from infected adults kissing you/sharing food with you as a child or from kissing someone infected with it yourself, not thru your mom breast feeding you. Her breast feeding you would've given you very good protection against getting it while an infant too.

Yes if you do have hsv1 orally you could transmit it to your gf thru performing oral sex on her.  

You don't have hsv1 genitally as far as you know so no, your gf can't contract it from giving you oral sex.

A good percentage of folks who contract hsv1 genitally, also have it orally.  Most folks kiss and perform oral sex at the same encounter so many folks get it both places.

at this point all you can do is your gf can follow up with her provider if she gets obvious genital symptoms. If she was hsv1 negative prior to this and contracted it genitally, odds are she'll get a full blown "classic" infection and not just itching as a symptom.

grace

[ja1432]

Ok thank you for the information. My girfriend so far has only had some itching. I talked to my mom and showed her my lip and she doesnt think its a cold sore. Its been 3 days and I am not having any symptoms and it doesnt look like there is anything there, just a little tear that has mostly healed. I haven't had a cold sore ever so I'm not really sure what I am suppose to feel. My mom says for her they basically come over night and there isnt any question to what it is.

We are wondering whether my gf's itching is being caused by something else. We will take precautions and wait and see if anything happens.
Thanks for responding

[gracefromHHP]

Just itching can be due to many things - the  friction of the oral sex, fungal infections and bacterial infections too.  The normal mouth flora isn't always so normal in the genital area. If she continues to itch for more than a few days and/or develops any discharge, she should see her provider for a proper exam and testing.

grace