from kissing?

Dear Dr.
I kissed a gay man in a club (about 5 minutes, on and off.) the next day I developed a little blister on my lower lip (it hurted as well), and I also had a fever. I was so freaked out. I know that it could be herpes, but my concern is that if it would be a syphilis sore, or both? I got tested for syphilis about 28 days later, the result came back negative. But you have said that a month would not mean much. So here are my questions:
1) What are my chances of catching syphilis? and  
2) What is the possibility of catching the virus soly through french kissing?
3) Did my negative test at a month tell anything?
Thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

It sounds like you might have had oral herpes, and if the fever was due to the same thing, it might have been your initial infection with HSV-1.  However, you didn't catch herpes from the exposure you describe; herpes lesions cannot appear in less than 24 hours after exposure.  Kissing can transmit syphilis, although the risk is much lower than with genital exposure.  Syphilis symptoms take at least 2-3 weeks to show up.  It also is true that the standard syphilis blood tests typically take up to 6 weeks to become positive--so your negative result at 4 weeks is somewhat reassuring but not definitive.  If you know the man and/or can locate him, give him a call and ask whether he might have oral herpes or syphilis.

So to answer your questions:

1) The chance of catching syphilis from that exposure is low, but perhaps not zero, if your kisser happened to be infected.

2) French kissing is a good way to transmit or catch HSV-1, but your symptoms came on too soon.

3) The negative syphilis test indicates you probably didn't acquire syphilis during the kissing episode, but to be 100% sure you would need to be retested again at 6-8 weeks.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[no_name2]

Can Syphilis be completely cured? And how long the virus would stay in one's body without serious damage?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Syphilis is easily cured with penicillin, but without treatment it persists in the body for many years, often for life.  For more information, read the syphilis information in the link "STD Quick Facts and Articles" at the top of the STD forum.

HHH, MD