HSV 1 or HSV 2 exposure?

[Seanybaby]

My girlfriend gets coldsores and performed oral sex on me a month ago. We then slept together the following night but used a condom. I have had no symptoms other that a small pink spot on the underside of my scrotum that to be honest is probably just a normal spot or ingrown hair folicule. Im relatively certain i wasnt infected with HSV from this exposure as my girlfriend had no active coldsores. I am aware of asymptomatic shedding though and of course that is a worry. After discussing my fears with my girfriend we now use condoms for oral sex. Two weeks ago my girlfriend gave me a handjob and stupidly put some saliva on her finger and rubbed it into the top of my penis (the helmet). Far from being aroused i was very angry but i suppose it was just a genuine mistake on her part. She had no coldsores at the time and has not had one sinse. I am very worried about my chance of getting HSV 1 in my genitals from these two exposures, especially the second one, but i have had no herpes symptoms (blisters, scabs, tingling or pain). Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Well, I guess if you really want to know your status, you could also arrange to have it done privately.

Terri

[Seanybaby]

Hi. Yeah any herpes test must have been through private arrangement or when sores were evident so the NHS would then sanction tests. From my understanding the rationale is that hsv 1 is so widespread that there is little point (from a cost perspective) in paying for tests and as for hsv 2 they simply dont pay for tests unless you have symptoms (which iv never had). I have a sexual health check up this week and will ask to be tested for hsv as part of it but i know before i go in it will be refused. I guess the bottom line is im no more or no less likely to have hsv 1 genitally or hsv 2 than anyone else in the UK so in the future ill just need to practice safe sex n discuss sexual health with any new partners. Cheers

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I would agree that the risk for HSV 2 in this situation is very low, but I have no idea what your herpes status was prior to that.  

And again, though statistically, you may well have HSV 1, only testing can tell if these statistics apply to you.

Interesting, I have had patients in the UK arrange to get tested.  Maybe it was through private arrangement?

Terri

[Seanybaby]

Hey i have never been tested for hsv 1 so id imagine im probably hsv 1 positive from childhood but without any symptoms. I live in the UK and the NHS wont test unless there are active sores so to get tested id need to go private which would cost quite a bit so if you reckon there is little chance of infection via saliva and that statistically i probably have hsv 1 already i will probably just leave things as they are and use condoms at all times. As for hsv 2, again i dont know my status, i was recently tested on the NHS for STI's and it was all clear but herpes is not tested if there are no sores (which of course iv never had). I did quiz the docter about this and she said that based on my sexual behaviour (which we discussed) its unlikely that i have hsv 2. Thanks for your advice i appreciate it

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Have you ever been tested yourself to determine if you have HSV 1 already or not?  Fifty six percent of the population between 14 and 49 have HSV 1 infection, most are not aware of it and don't have symptoms.  It would be really good to know if you have it because if you do, then you don't need to worry about sexual practices with your partner who does get cold sores.  Also, since 80% of people with HSV 2 infection (most often genitally) do not have symptoms and do not believe they are infected, an antibody test for both would be a quick way to know exactly where you stand in comparison to her infection status (does she know if she has HSV 2 via testing?).  When my patients are concerned about getting herpes from their partners, be it HSV 1 or HSV 2, I always encourage testing so that appropriate measures can be used to limit transmission, if that is necessary, but also to identify people who are already infected and don't know it to free them for a wider variety of sexual experiences should they have the same type of virus and won't infect each other any more.  Does that make sense to you?

As for the particular question that you ask about the saliva, it isn't zero risk but it is really low risk, in my opinion.

Terri