HSV 1 Transmission to Genitals via Oral Sex?

[anxious15]

I am a healthy female who was diagnosed with oral HSV 1 about a year ago. I performed oral sex on my partner yesterday, then today I woke up with a cut/sore on my gum. I've never had HSV 1 outside the mouth, only inside the mouth, so I was concerned it might be a cold sore. I take acyclovir daily to try and prevent cold sores. My partner has HSV 1 already, as he had cold sores when he was younger, about 10 years ago. I was wondering if I could have possibly transmitted HSV 1 to his genitals via viral shedding, even though he already has a lot of HSV 1 antibodies. Is this something I should be concerned about?

[auntiejessi]

How were you diagnosed? It's not common to only get sores inside the mouth. It's more common to get them on the gums with your initial outbreak, but not after.

I ask because I'm not sure this cut/sore on your gum is an hsv1 outbreak. In any case, even if it were, he already has hsv1. It would be very, very unlikely for him to get it on his genitals. It might happen if you had an actual outbreak on your lips that came into contact with his genitals and there was some friction, but still, that would be unlikely.

It's not something I'd be concerned about, especially since you're on acyclovir. :)

[anxious15]

I had 10-15 sores in my mouth in an initial outbreak and had a fever and everything. The doctor never did any tests but just a visual examination and said that’s probably what they were!

[auntiejessi]

Ohhh ugh. It could very well be your initial outbreak, but that doesn't mean everything you've had inside your mouth is herpes. If you feel like confirming it, ask for a type specific IgG blood test. I wouldn't be surprised if it was hsv1, but I'm not sure what you have now is. It's not common at all to get sores on your gums after the primary outbreak.