Spreading HSV1

[Donkey42]

Once two people are diagnosed with HSV1 (male and female, genital areas although confirmed HSV1 and not HSV2),my understanding is that outbreaks generally occur in the same area as where the initial symptoms showed up.  I have a few outbreaks per year, very mild, and I am also on Acyclovir (suppressive therapy).  Other person the same, although she can never really tell because symptoms so mild.  I am using condoms.  If I didn't, what is the likelihood that the symptoms could/would show up in different areas or more severe.  I don't generally get any symptoms on my penis, but just in the pubic area.  I would like to keep it that way.  

[cannotstopworried]

why not IgM?

[bobrope45]

first - genital hsv1 should not be diagnosed through blood test. that's because almost 80% of the population has hsv1 (mostly acquired through childhood, orally). therefore it would be best to confirm if this is really genital hsv1 going on.
visual diagnosis is also not recommended by the CDC - they always say it should be confirmed by lab tests.

do you both get symptoms? if you happen to get it, make sure to be seen by a doctor immediately and ask for a swab of the lesion to be typed.

if 4 months have passed since your last symptoms, it two could also get another blood test - igg only, hsv1 and hsv2 - just to make sure. the antivirals might interfere with antibody testing (false negatives), specially if taken right from the beginning.

[Donkey42]

We were both tested via blood test, hers confirmed positive and mine negative.  However, my doctor confirmed by examination of visual symptoms, which prompted my visit to the doctor in the first place.  Thanks for the feedback.  The difficult part is that the symptoms are so minor that I can't always tell when I am having an outbreak.  I err on the side of caution if I even remotely suspect it and where a condom.  I was just wondering if I could get it more severely, or in different places if she had an outbreak, didn't know it, and then we had unprotected sex?

[bobrope45]

So you both have ghsv1, is that correct? How was the diagnosis done - blood test or typed swab? It's very important to confirm that this is, indeed, hsv1, to avoid a transmission to one another.

If you both have it, there's no risk of spreading it to somewhere else. Your body already has the antibodies to fight the virus and it won't relocate anywhere else. Of course you should always err on the side of caution and avoid any sort of sex while having a genital outbreak. But other than that, not much risk.

Outbreaks usually occur in the same general area, but there's no guarantee it will always be that way. Genital herpes might reactivate anywhere in the boxer area. Therefore, you might be having obs in the pubic area, but you might get in the penis in the future, for instance. It has nothing to do with reinfection.