How contagious is HSV1?? I recently came in contact with infected saliva

[glummix]

Hi All,

I have been reading a ton of articles regarding the transmission of HSV1. Many reliable sources say that you can transmit herpes through indirect contact. However, other reliable sources say that HSV1 can only be transmitted through direct skin-skin contact.

Two weeks ago, I went to a party and hung out with a friend who offered me a drag of his cigarette. As I was about to take the drag I noticed he had a scabbed cold sore on his lip. Just as I resisted, the butt of the cigarette, moist with his saliva, just tapped my lip. It never made it inside my mouth, and my lip was not chapped. But his saliva did just barely tap my lip. How long can the virus live outside the body? It was a hot summer night.


What are the chances I have indirectly transmitted HSV1? I was tested negative last year. I will take a blood test in 3 weeks.



INDIRECT SOURCES:
https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm
"If you do not have herpes, you can get infected if you come into contact with the herpes virus in:
A herpes sore;
Saliva (if your partner has an oral herpes infection) or genital secretions (if your partner has a genital herpes infection);
Skin in the oral area if your partner has an oral herpes infection, or skin in the genital area if your partner has a genital herpes infection."

The WHO
"HSV-1 is mainly transmitted by oral-to-oral contact to cause oral herpes infection, via contact with the HSV-1 virus in sores, saliva, and surfaces in or around the mouth. However, HSV-1 can also be transmitted to the genital area through oral-genital contact to cause genital herpes."

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319524.php
"Medical News Today"
The HSV1 virus is typically transmitted through kissing or sharing drinks and utensils. The majority of people with the HSV1 virus were infected during childhood from non-sexual contact and by kissing family members and friends.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cold-sore/symptoms-causes/syc-20371017
"Cold sores are most contagious when oozing blisters are present. But you can transmit the virus to others even if you don't have blisters. Shared eating utensils, razors and towels, as well as kissing, may spread HSV-1. Oral sex can spread HSV-1 to the genitals and HSV-2 to the lips."

DIRECT SOURCES:

https://cliniquelactuel.com/herpes-transmission
"People with cold sores are advised to avoid kissing, or direct contact with the sores, and to wash their hands immediately after touching the sore."

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/herpes
Herpes is easily spread from skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus. You can get it when your genitals and/or mouth touch their genitals and/or mouth — usually during oral, anal, and vaginal sex.

https://patient.info/health/viral-skin-infections-leaflet/features/surprising-facts-about-cold-sores-everyone-should-know
"Cold sores are only caught by direct skin contact with the affected area. Contrary to popular belief, there is virtually no risk of contracting the virus through sharing cups, cutlery, towels or lip salve. After contracting the virus, a cold sore is likely to appear after 4-6 days, although it may take up to two weeks for symptoms to occur."

https://herpes.org.uk/cold-sores/
"You catch cold sores by being kissed by someone who has cold sore virus on their mouth. You might have caught it the other day – or maybe when you were a child, perhaps by being kissed by a relative. Oral sex is also a common way of passing on cold sores from one person’s mouth to another person’s genitals (genital herpes) – or vice versa."