Transmitting HSV-1 Genital Herpes

I am 22 years old and I contracted HSV-1 genital herpes from my ex-boyfriend through oral sex a year ago. We were both virgins and were not aware that genital herpes can be transmitted through oral sex. (He has oral HSV-1.) I got screened for herpes and tested positive for HSV-1. My doctor prescribed Acyclovir 400 MG and I took it for a week or so until the outbreak was gone. A few days ago I had my first recurrence since my initial outbreak a year ago. I then went to my the Nurse Practioner at my college and she told me that there is no difference between  HSV-1 and HSV-2 genital herpes. However, the health forums on Medhelp indicate otherwise.  I have been really distraught and depressed and would like you to answer the following questions:

1) What are the potential of my transmitting HSV-1 herpes to a future partner through sexual intercourse when I do not have any outbreaks?
2) Is it true that the potential for HSV-1 genital herpes recurrences is less than HSV-2 genital herpes?
3)Can I still transmit HSV-1 genital herpes to someone who has HSV-1 oral herpes?
4) Will condoms be enough to prevent transmitting HSV-1 herpes?
5) What are the chances of passing herpes to my baby if I become pregnant in future? What are the steps I need to take to prevent that from happening?

[babylicious2]

U get ur out breaks every 4years

[babylicious2]

There ain't no such thing like dat its only herpes 1 don't lisen too people cause they don't tell da right answers people just telling u anything too scared u sweety

[babylicious2]

U need too tell da males wear a consume cause u can pass it too them but if u had da break out 4years ago Dan u can have sex witout da cundum

[babylicious2]

Ur baby will not be born wit herpes but if da baby comes out wit greedy eyes open it can affect there eyes they can hurt there eye also

[babylicious2]

You can't do nothing bout it from preventing it from happening

[babylicious2]

You can't do nothing bout it from preventing it from happening

[babylicious2]

Yes condums are a lot saver tell da guys too wear a rubber cause u can pass it too them

[babylicious2]

If u don't tell guys too wear a condum u gonna continue to pass it tooo everybody either the person has herpes or not general herpes are da same its diffrent medication for herpes I hope my answers helped all ur questions I answered have a nice day just thank god u didn't got hiv or aids cause dats worse Dan herpes amen thank u Jesus god is sooooo good pray too god and say thank u god dat it wasn't aids or hiv  muaaaaaz take care hunny

[babylicious2]

If u do sexual intercouse ur partner in da future can get herpes but like I told u if u got it 4years ago Dan u could cause u only get it every 4years  u have too tell ur future partner u have herpes but it come  every 4  years and last 2 weeks or 1 week

[marilyn187]

I feel ripped off since I paid $20.00 to get such idiotic comments.

[Bluecore12]

Terri sometimes goes for a few days without answering questions. She is the only one who regularly contributes in this forum who is a qualified expert.  I suggest you go to the STD forums where Doctors Hansfield and Hook answer questions; they get on multiple times per day and they get many Herpes questions. Terri will get to you, don't worry. I've been skimming these boards for months after a scare of my own, and I can anticipate some of the stuff she is going to tell you:

1. If you are on supressive therapy, the odds of transmission of the virus without any lesions present is something like 5% in a year, and use of condoms cuts it in half.  

2. I have seen them say that on these boards, but wait for her to tell you.

3. I have seen Dr. Hook and Hansfield in the STD forum say that an initial HSV infection makes it all but impossible to get the virus a second time because of a developed immunity.

4. Like I said, it cuts the rate in half from the supressive therapy. There are figures on this board, but I don't know them off the top of my head. It's something like a 1 in 10,000 chance of passing along the virus with both condoms and supressive therapy.  

5. When women who have Herpes are pregnant, if the woman is experiencing an outbreak when the baby needs to be delivered they will just do a c-section to deliver. It is most dangerous in the first year, which is also when the virus is the most contagious, and especially if the women becomes infected while pregnant (not your case). Asymptomatic shedding of the virus (shedding of the virus when you have no symptoms, like lesions) decreases with time.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I'm so sorry, somehow you post got lost on this board.  I will try to answer your questions now, and again, my apologies, I check this almost every day and I'm not sure what happened here.

1) What are the potential of my transmitting HSV-1 herpes to a future partner through sexual intercourse when I do not have any outbreaks?

The potential for this is low as HSV 1 genitally is shed infrequently, especially after the first year of having herpes.

2) Is it true that the potential for HSV-1 genital herpes recurrences is less than HSV-2 genital herpes?

Definitely!  And this is for two reasons.  First, 56% of the US population already has HSV 1 so they are highly unlikely to acquire it genitally when they already have it orally (or genitally).  Second, HSV 1 is shed infrequently, as I describe above.

3)Can I still transmit HSV-1 genital herpes to someone who has HSV-1 oral herpes?

Extremely unlikely.

4) Will condoms be enough to prevent transmitting HSV-1 herpes?

Condoms reduce transmission of HSV 2 by about 30-50%, it is likely that this percentage is also true for HSV 1 though we don't have good studies on HSV 1 transmission.

5) What are the chances of passing herpes to my baby if I become pregnant in future? What are the steps I need to take to prevent that from happening?

I would say you need to take the same steps as if you had HSV 2.  That would include taking antiviral therapy from about 34-36 weeks on in pregnancy and observing for outbreaks at the time of delivery, and having a c-section if lesions are present.

Again, I'm so sorry you had to wait for a reply from me.  I'm thinking that when others respond before I do, it goes so far down on the list that I don't see it.  I hope these answers are helpful.

Terri