Receiving oral from a prostitute

[blingbling77]

Last night I received unprotected oral sex from a prostitute. The oral sex lasted only a minute or two and finished with me ejaculating in her mouth. Right after I felt guilty and rushed home to shower and now I am worried that I may have caught something. What are the chances that I contracted an std from this lady? Prior to last night I had been tested and was in the clear but now I'm not so sure. What are the chances that I caught something and what is the most likely to be caught?

Thanks,

Bling

[gracefromHHP]

Only about 3% of all hsv2 infections are oral . It on average only sheds 1% of days. The odds of 1 someone having hsv2 orally and 2 it being one of the 3 days or so a year that they actively shed the virus performing oral sex on you are too low to worry about.  

You can get std's from oral sex but it's pretty low risk. Unless you have obvious symptoms, no real reason to pay the money and use your time to go and get tested.  Better yet - always use barrier protection for oral sex if it's not a long term partner in a monogamous relationship!

grace

[mjbrown]

hsv2 can occur in the mouth, but it is uncommon. again, without visible sores, the chance of expose is decreased even more. and if with visible sores, most exposures do not lead to transmission. but a risk is a risk, so it all depends on how sure you want to be. if you are still worried about hsv2 oral-to-genital transmission given the very low risk, you can be tested for hsv2 3-4 months after exposure.

[carlhunnycut]

HSV2 does occur in the mouth, but just nowhere near as rarely.

Pretty much the thinking is the chances are so low that its not worth it?

[mjbrown]

The poster received oral sex, so he would only be at risk for hsv1 (cold sores). hsv1 is rarely transmitted to the genitals, and hsv2 is rarely transmitted to the mouth. Both scenarios are possible - just not very likely. Also hsv1 does not tend to shed as often without visible sores as does hsv2 (which only sheds about 10% of the time when no sores are visible). So not having visible mouth sores greatly reduces the chances of being exposed to hsv1. Even in the presence of oozing cold sores, transmission of hsv1 to the genitals is still not that likely.

About 80% of the population will test positive for hsv1 if they had a blood test (if you ever had a cold sore - than you know you have it). But a lot of people who have hsv1 don't get symptoms (i.e. never had a cold sore). In general, getting a positive test for hsv1 in the absence of symptoms (on the genitals) really isn't going to tell you much. The only way you'll know if you have hsv1 on the genitals is if you get symptoms (and those sores can than be swabbed to determine which type of herpes virus it is).

[carlhunnycut]

Hey grace.  Can I ask why you don't think its necessary for testing if there are no obvious symptoms?  This is what I can't get my mind around.  If over 50% of people with herpes don't have symptoms, why should symptoms be what leads someone to get tested or not?

thanks

[gracefromHHP]

The risk from oral sex is relatively low.  Really unless you get any obvious symptoms, no reason for any testing etiher.

fyi - showering afterwards just makes you smell better.

If you know you will worry about std's, always wear a condom when you receive oral sex.

grace