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HSV2 risk from female oral recipient to giver, versus protected vaginal sex
There is a risk for the giver of unprotected oral sex to a female infected with HSV2. There is also a risk for a male having protected vaginal sex with that same HSV2-infected female. I'm curious whether one carries more risk than the other.
Said a different way, if I accept the risk of acquiring HSV2 from a female through protected vaginal sex, am I at more, less, or similar risk of acquiring HSV2 by giving her unprotected oral sex?
I know from studies cited here that the risk of a female transmitting HSV2 to a male is something like 1-4% over a year, assuming no sex during outbreaks and sex twice per week, or so. So, I'm looking to compare the risk of transmission from the female to the male, orally.
Said a different way, if I accept the risk of acquiring HSV2 from a female through protected vaginal sex, am I at more, less, or similar risk of acquiring HSV2 by giving her unprotected oral sex?
I know from studies cited here that the risk of a female transmitting HSV2 to a male is something like 1-4% over a year, assuming no sex during outbreaks and sex twice per week, or so. So, I'm looking to compare the risk of transmission from the female to the male, orally.
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COMMUNITY LEADER
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Thank you for your reply! I'm not sure what you mean by "So long as the infected partner doesn't have an actual partner, I wouldn't worry about oral sex."
I'm a male, trying to assess my risk in acquiring HSV2 if I give oral sex to a female sex worker, who I think is not infected, but perhaps may be.
I'm a male, trying to assess my risk in acquiring HSV2 if I give oral sex to a female sex worker, who I think is not infected, but perhaps may be.
To be honest, I'm not sure what I meant by that. I think I meant to say "doesn't have an actual outbreak".
So long as the infected partner doesn't have an actual outbreak at the time of you performing oral sex, I wouldn't worry at all.
Sorry about that! :)
So long as the infected partner doesn't have an actual outbreak at the time of you performing oral sex, I wouldn't worry at all.
Sorry about that! :)
No worries, thank you so much for your reply! While I know you are an expert here, do you have any studies or data to provide? Something I can quantify?
Also, is this correct: if I did get infected, I'd have oral HSV2, and could then pass on to another partner through kissing (my partner would also have oral HSV2) or by giving oral sex (my partner would have genital HSV2), or I could also spread it to my own genitals by touching my mouth and then touching my genitals. Is that correct? If not, can you correct me?
Also, is this correct: if I did get infected, I'd have oral HSV2, and could then pass on to another partner through kissing (my partner would also have oral HSV2) or by giving oral sex (my partner would have genital HSV2), or I could also spread it to my own genitals by touching my mouth and then touching my genitals. Is that correct? If not, can you correct me?
We don't have any studies on transmitting herpes via oral sex, unfortunately, but we do know that oral hsv2 is the least common of all herpes.
If someone does get oral hsv2, it is very unlikely that you'd ever transmit it.
There is something called site preference with herpes. Hsv1 prefers the mouth, and is far more active there than oral hsv2.
Hsv2 prefers the genitals, and is far more active there than genital hsv1.
By active, I mean frequency of outbreaks and viral shedding.
Oral hsv2 rarely recurs, rarely sheds, and therefore, it rarely transmits, especially without symptoms.
If you did get oral hsv2, and transmitted it by kissing, your partner would have oral hsv2. If you transmitted by oral sex, your partner would have genital hsv2. That's correct.
If you want to learn more about herpes, you can read the Herpes Handbook - https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ It's written by Terri Warren, one of the world's leading experts on herpes. It's also free and you can read it on any device.
If someone does get oral hsv2, it is very unlikely that you'd ever transmit it.
There is something called site preference with herpes. Hsv1 prefers the mouth, and is far more active there than oral hsv2.
Hsv2 prefers the genitals, and is far more active there than genital hsv1.
By active, I mean frequency of outbreaks and viral shedding.
Oral hsv2 rarely recurs, rarely sheds, and therefore, it rarely transmits, especially without symptoms.
If you did get oral hsv2, and transmitted it by kissing, your partner would have oral hsv2. If you transmitted by oral sex, your partner would have genital hsv2. That's correct.
If you want to learn more about herpes, you can read the Herpes Handbook - https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ It's written by Terri Warren, one of the world's leading experts on herpes. It's also free and you can read it on any device.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Oral hsv2 is uncommon, and herpes doesn't go from the genitals to the mouth as easily as it does from the mouth to the genitals.
So long as the infected partner doesn't have an actual partner, I wouldn't worry about oral sex.
If oral hsv2 does happen, it rarely recurs, rarely sheds, and rarely transmits.