Question on HSV 1 transmission if you are asymptomatic

[hawaii515]

I read that HSV 1 is very contagious and easy to be infected and infect others.  How does one avoid transmitting it to others if you've never had any symptoms or outbreaks?  I heard a simple touch ( squeezing a child's cheek) or a casual kiss on the cheek can still transmit the virus.  So does this mean that even any social contact should be avoided even if you are asymptomatic?

I've never had any symptoms or outbreaks and have never kissed anyone with a cold sore.  So I was shocked when I tested positive for the HSV 1 antibody.  I am scared to give it to family and friends since I thought I was being so careful but still got it.  Could it have been through casual contact?  Or kissing a boyfriend who just never had an outbreak and I was unaware he had it?

Please help.  Thanks.  How do I protect those around me if I am asymptomatic and don't even know if/when I am contagious?

[gracefromHHP]

typically when you haven't experienced symptoms orally or genitally, your hsv1 is oral. since hsv1 oral sheds far more than hsv1 genital does, assuming it's oral isn't a bad assumption either.

having hsv1 orally, gives you significant protection from contracting it genitally. not 100% but it's up there.  

[hawaii515]

Two last questions: since I don't know where the site of my infection may be, what are the chances of me potentially transmitting HSV 1 genitally if that were my site of infection?

What if my site of infection is orally, but my partner has it genitally - what are the chances of him spreading HSV 1 to me genitally via genital to genital contact (I already understand the risk from oral to genital transmission)

Thanks again for all of your help and responses, Grace.  You are a wonderful resource and I'm sure had helped folks understand the disease and move forward.

You have certainly helped me.

[gracefromHHP]

it's not likely that you'd contract hsv2 orally from kissing someone. Not many folks have hsv2 orally for starters as well as it hardly sheds at all to be transmitted to a partner.

[hawaii515]

Let me clarify my second question, if by chance someone had HSV 2 orally (which I know is rare, but in case they have it from giving oral sex to someone who has it genitally) and has no symptoms, what would my risk be if I were to have romantic kisses with them?  They would probably don't know they have it and neither would I before kissing them,

[hawaii515]

Grace,

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my questions.  It's very helpful and making me feel much more at ease of being diagnosed with HSV 1 and the implications moving forward.

Seeing as I was either infected as a child or most likely through romantic kissing (I assume I have HSV 1 orally since I have no symptoms so not sure where the site of infection is - is that a safe assumption for now that I probably have it orally and not genitally?), can HSV 2 be transmitted orally through kissing?  Just want to understand my risk of being infected with HSV 2 through kissing.  Sorry, I folded two questions in one.

Thanks again for your help.

[gracefromHHP]

sharing food and utensils isn't a real risk for transmitting oral herpes.

social pecks on the cheeks aren't a risk either.

at the age of 40, about 60% of all the people you know have hsv1 orally. by the time we reach the old folks home, 80% of us have it on average in the US.

the real reason for the chicken pox vaccine is because parents miss work to stay home and care for their children. Indeed, a thankfully very small percentage of children who contract it did develop very dangerous complications from it but it was pushed to keep parents in the work place more often.  it wasn't because chicken pox was overly dangerous, it is an annoyance more than anything and of course the risk of shingles later on in life but overall, it's vaccinated against because they found one that works half decent and it means less missed work days for parents. It's not even one of our more effective vaccines.   most of us contract about 5 or 6 of the 8 human herpes viruses by the time we hit middle age. they are incredibly common!

as an adult, the things to remember most about oral herpes is - know your status and know your partners status. if your partner is negative for hsv1, discuss if you want to utilize barrier protection for oral sex or not. Don't kiss infants on the lips or eyes and never "clean" a pacifier by sticking it in your mouth.  

hope that info helps :)

[hawaii515]

I meant to say since I don't know how I was infected, it is difficult for me to avoid contact if I were shedding asymptomatically from the infected area.

[hawaii515]

Thanks Grace for responding so quickly.  I have read the reference you mention below, but have been getting so confused with reading all of the info online over the last few days since being tested.

So based on what I've read, it should be very minimal risk of me spreading it to adult family and friends from just a kiss on the cheek (either me giving them a kiss on the cheek or them giving me a kiss on the cheek).  As long as I don't share food or utensils.  Correct?  

Since I have no symptoms, I don't know where I am infected nor do I know if I were infected as a child or an adult.  So it is difficult for me to a avoid contact if I were shedding symptomatically from the infected area.

So any advice you can give me would be helpful.  I know many people have it (a good friend of mine has had cold sores since she was a kid) but I've tried not to get it but it.  I would like to keep others who may not have it still free from it.  Seeing as I am 40, I've read that most people I know already have it (more than the 50%) statistic I've been seeing.  Is this true that at my age it is no longer 50%?

Thanks for all of your help.  I don't mean to be a hypochondriac about this but everything I am reading online is making it out to be something very scary and to avoid (even though stats say most people have it).  I somewhat agree, but the same goes for chicken pox.  Although quite common and difficult to avoid transmission, they are now giving kids a vaccine for it so it must not be benign.

Again, thanks for your help.  Confirmation on th above would greatly help me ease my mind.  I have been reading tons over the last few days.

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.ashastd.org/std-sti/Herpes/oral-herpes.html  has terrific info on oral herpes if you haven't read it.

as an adult, oral herpes is almost exclusively transmitted by romantic type kisses. it's really not as contagious as you seem to be making it out to be.

grace