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STDs (Expert Forum)
Herpes Risk from Oral Sex and Fingering
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
Herpes Risk from Oral Sex and Fingering
by Kee95, Jul 01, 2008 04:46PM
Hi Doctor,
I contracted HSV-2 10 years ago and after my inital outbreak, I have had virtually no other outbreaks. I have a new boyfriend and he recently performed oral sex on me and fingered me and the next day I noticed a small bump on my outer labia. I went to a doctor and they said it did not look like a herpes blister, but it may be an early formation and I probably had viral shedding prior to that. My concern is the risk I may have posed to my boyfriend. When he performed oral sex, he only sucked on my clitoris. He fingered me for a while and I noticed a slight itch and irritation that same night. I am concerned that he may have touched an early formation of the herpes blister. Should he go and get tested. This just happened a few days ago, but I am concerned because I really don't want to infect him. Please let me know the risk for him. Thank you.
I contracted HSV-2 10 years ago and after my inital outbreak, I have had virtually no other outbreaks. I have a new boyfriend and he recently performed oral sex on me and fingered me and the next day I noticed a small bump on my outer labia. I went to a doctor and they said it did not look like a herpes blister, but it may be an early formation and I probably had viral shedding prior to that. My concern is the risk I may have posed to my boyfriend. When he performed oral sex, he only sucked on my clitoris. He fingered me for a while and I noticed a slight itch and irritation that same night. I am concerned that he may have touched an early formation of the herpes blister. Should he go and get tested. This just happened a few days ago, but I am concerned because I really don't want to infect him. Please let me know the risk for him. Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Jul 01, 2008 11:01PM
, Jul 01, 2008 11:01PM
There are 2 questions being asked here- could this bump had been a recurrence?, and could you have given your HSV-2 to your BF?. Two answers too:
1. Could this be a recurrence of HSV-2? Hard to say, recurrences do tend to follow a pattern so that if this did not resemble prior recurrences it is unlikely to have been. In addition, it sounds as though it did not go on to form a blister and you were examined by a health care professional who felt it was unlikely to be herpes. All of this makes it unlikely it was a recurrence, BUT
2. Even without a recurrence, in theory you could have given your infection to your BF. This is because the virus can be present on normal appearing skin and in that way be the source of transmission to others. On the other hand, most exposures to HSV do not lead to transmission so taking all into consideration; my guess is that there is little risk of having given him infection. If he does not develop lesions within 10 days of your exposure, you did not give him infection.
Now for advice on how to deal with this from here on out.
1. He should have a gG-based blood test such as the HerpeSelect or the Trinity ELISA to see if he has had infection in the past and is unaware of it. If so, there is not need for precautions; his infection will make him resistant to getting it from you. If he has not, then precautions which will minimize his risk should be considered. These precautions, which have additive effects, are-
A. He needs to know that you have infection
B. You should not have sex if you think you might be having an outbreak.
c. You should consider taking chronic suppressive therapy for prevention of transmission. It will reduce the probability of transmitting infection by 50%
D. You should use condoms.
By taking these steps, the likelihood of you transmitting infection to a susceptible partner are close to zero
Hope this helps. EWH
1. Could this be a recurrence of HSV-2? Hard to say, recurrences do tend to follow a pattern so that if this did not resemble prior recurrences it is unlikely to have been. In addition, it sounds as though it did not go on to form a blister and you were examined by a health care professional who felt it was unlikely to be herpes. All of this makes it unlikely it was a recurrence, BUT
2. Even without a recurrence, in theory you could have given your infection to your BF. This is because the virus can be present on normal appearing skin and in that way be the source of transmission to others. On the other hand, most exposures to HSV do not lead to transmission so taking all into consideration; my guess is that there is little risk of having given him infection. If he does not develop lesions within 10 days of your exposure, you did not give him infection.
Now for advice on how to deal with this from here on out.
1. He should have a gG-based blood test such as the HerpeSelect or the Trinity ELISA to see if he has had infection in the past and is unaware of it. If so, there is not need for precautions; his infection will make him resistant to getting it from you. If he has not, then precautions which will minimize his risk should be considered. These precautions, which have additive effects, are-
A. He needs to know that you have infection
B. You should not have sex if you think you might be having an outbreak.
c. You should consider taking chronic suppressive therapy for prevention of transmission. It will reduce the probability of transmitting infection by 50%
D. You should use condoms.
By taking these steps, the likelihood of you transmitting infection to a susceptible partner are close to zero
Hope this helps. EWH
Member Comments (2)
by Kee95, Jul 02, 2008 12:22AM
Thank you so much...
