ORAL HSV1 vs ORAL HSV2.

[Alex213]

What is the difference between both, and how to contract each? Also if a girl I am about to date has either, how can she transmit it to me. Should I be concerned about asymptomatic shedding?? Lets keep the conversation to the area above the belt for now.

[gracefromHHP]

Let's keep all your questions in your original post please.  this is asked in our read before posting post on this forum. saves us from repeating ourselves to you as well as saves you from having to retype all the info each time - thanks!



grace

[superscope]

Would a swab of the mouth or eye reveal whether it's 1 or 2 ?  

[Mistakeguy789]

HSV-1 and HSV-2 are the same thing but the difference is where the virus likes to be.  HSV-1 prefers the oral location and HSV-2 prefers the genitial.  The virus being in the location it doesn't prefer typically means less reoccurances and less virial shedding.  They are both transmitted the same way with skin-to-skin contact.  

If you do not have HSV-1 or HSV-2 and she has HSV-1 or HSV-2 she is able to transmit the virus to you.  Oral HSV-2 is rare. mostly if your partner has HSV-2 orally then shedding is going to be about 1% of days out of a year.  

The best thing you can do right now is tell us what she has for us to help you.  If she doesn't know which she needs to have a herpes igg blood test done.  Typically someone unsure if they have hsv-1 or hsv-2 had an igm test which is a worthless test when it comes to Herpes.