HSV-1

[maine2009]

I have just recieved a positive result on an HSV-1 test. I was negative on the HSV-2. My test was prompted by a call from a former partner who tested positive for HSV-2. We were both tested (I thought) before we were together. I was negative on both at that time (Jan 2008). I did have one previous equivicol HSV-1 result that when I retested came back negative. At that time he indicated that he was negative as well, but I didn't see the test results. Regardless my recollection was that during the 2 months we were together we used condoms, but he recalled one time that we didn't. We also engaged mutally in oral sex without a condom.

I thought that HSV-1 was oral herpes (cold sores) but upon research discover that you can have genital HSV-1. I've not been with any one since any since and the last time we were together was March 2008. I have had no symtoms or outbreak orally or vaginally. here are my questions:

1)  Is there any way for me to know if my HSV-1 is oral or genital?
2)  If oral can I transmit HSV-1 genital to a man through performing oral sex


There are so many ifs!!! But I will start there

[gracefromHHP]

If your partner tested + for hsv2 and you tested negative, then he had it before he met you and never knew it.

If you can't recall any symptoms either orally or genitally, statistically your hsv1 is oral. It's incredibly common and very few of us make it thru life without it.  Since it sheds more orally than it does genitally, assuming it's oral is the better assumption anyways.

Yes, you can potentially transmit hsv1 to a partner's genital area thru performing oral sex on them.  Ask them to get tested to know their own status and then go from there as far as determining what precautions, if any, to use for oral sex.

grace

[maine2009]

Since my partner tested negative for HSV-1 a year after we were together (and I have not been with anyone since) is it possible that he passed HSV-1 to me? Since I am in my 50s, I think it is unlikley that I would suddenly test positive for oral HSV-1. I am thinking this is a false positive and will retest. My results was 1.16 on HSV-1 and negative on HSV-2

[gracefromHHP]

Even the best herpes blood tests we have still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. It's hard to tell if this truly is a new infection for you or not or even if it's accurate since it's such an incredibly low hsv1 result.   It's up to you and your partner if you think this is even worthwhile following up on or worrying about. Have you talked about it together yet?

grace