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Spreading HSV 1 to Genitals

Dear Doctor…..
I have had cold sores all my life and still occasionally get them, at one time a number of years ago in a health exam I took a blood test for HSV; I showed positive for type 1 and negative for type 2.  I was reading an article on Herpes and it indicated that you can have this virus in any part of your body and I became concerned since I have had genital itching, and once had a small crack on my scrotum which did not hurt, it was not red or any blisters, (but when I directed water from the shower you could feel it), it lasted a couple of days, and never has returned, but it was in an area I scratched and thought I perhaps spread the infection to my genitals.  I have not had sex since this blood test a few years ago but I started to think about how I could have spread herpes to various places on my body (mostly my genitals by itching) of course after I read this article about herpes. How can you tell if you have both oral and genital type 1 herpes? Could have I gotten this from oral sex....I read this also in the article, thank you for all your help!
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55646 tn?1263660809
Either you are not understanding what I wrote about this or you don't believe what I wrote.

So I will just answer your question.  Genital HSV 1 infection would look like a cold sore, but in the genital area.  And yes, I have seen genital HSV 1 infection many many times,  in people who have no history of oral herpes.

This is my final post on this thread.

Terri
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I guess my main concern was a mild form of herpes 1 in the genitala after established  oral infection and since resent blood test showed   negative for type 2, and no sex for many years..I just wanted to know what herpes could look like since the article said it could  almost be anything...would
It be different than my lip? Have you seen this before, what would it look like? Thank you so much


Helpful - 0
55646 tn?1263660809
If you have had cold sores all of your life, then it is extremely unlikely that you would acquire it genitally.  Most often when I see cracks in the scrotum of men, it is due to a fungal infection, not herpes.  Also, once the virus is well established in the body (which yours of course is after a lifetime of cold sores), it is extremely unlikely that you would spread it to a new place on your body.  The antibody test reflects your lifetime of cold sores, nothing more.  I think you are GOOD.

Does that answer your question adequately?


Terri
Helpful - 0

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