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Already get cold sores on my lips can I contract genital herpes through oral sex
Ok here is my question. I occassionally get cold sores or fever blisters as they are called on my lips. I have since I was a teen and I am 27 now. Last night someone I have been seeing performed oral sex on me. After I noticed a scab/bump above their lip. I could not say for sure it was a cold sore but it resembled one. I have heard that if you already get cold sores on your lips then you can not contract genital herpes from someone performing oral sex on you who has it on their lips. Because you already have the herpes virus in your system. Is this true? If not what are the chances that I have contracted gential herpes. Thank you for your help.
I agree with Monkeyflower.
But let me get this straight.
You gave HSV1 genitally to your girlfriend (apparently
she was HSV1 negative and you were HSV1 positive) and
now you are upset she gave it back to you genitally.
That makes a statement!!!!!!
You may be an MD, but how do you know you contacted HSV1 in
this way? Did you have it swabbed and typed. Did you
confirm the result with a backup test. Did you have oral
breakouts. Were they swabbed and typed in the past before
you met your girlfriend.
Assuming your description is true, the more likely explanation
is that you had HSV1 genitally in the first place (not orally --
or you have have been simultanesouly infected by a previous partner before your body had time to build up the antibodies)
and had just never had noticeably breakouts. And your girlfriend got it via genital to genital contact.
You probably just noticed symptoms now because you're looking
for them as a result of your girlfriend or anxiety, etc caused
them to appear.
Sorry, I'm with Dr. Hansen.
But let me get this straight.
You gave HSV1 genitally to your girlfriend (apparently
she was HSV1 negative and you were HSV1 positive) and
now you are upset she gave it back to you genitally.
That makes a statement!!!!!!
You may be an MD, but how do you know you contacted HSV1 in
this way? Did you have it swabbed and typed. Did you
confirm the result with a backup test. Did you have oral
breakouts. Were they swabbed and typed in the past before
you met your girlfriend.
Assuming your description is true, the more likely explanation
is that you had HSV1 genitally in the first place (not orally --
or you have have been simultanesouly infected by a previous partner before your body had time to build up the antibodies)
and had just never had noticeably breakouts. And your girlfriend got it via genital to genital contact.
You probably just noticed symptoms now because you're looking
for them as a result of your girlfriend or anxiety, etc caused
them to appear.
Sorry, I'm with Dr. Hansen.
I understand how one could draw that conclusion from
the boards.
But the key word is on the boards. Although I'm sure
the people posting they believe its true, but there's no way of
verifying this.
You don't know for sure that they orginally had an HSV1 infection or what the condition of their immune system
was.
Herpes is just one of a family of virus's. It these virus
are transmitable after the body has extablished antibodies,
why develop vaccines. Under that senereo they'd never work
and we know vaccines do work.
Of course if you find any medical studies or clincal trials regarding this issue, please post a cite. I would love to see them.
the boards.
But the key word is on the boards. Although I'm sure
the people posting they believe its true, but there's no way of
verifying this.
You don't know for sure that they orginally had an HSV1 infection or what the condition of their immune system
was.
Herpes is just one of a family of virus's. It these virus
are transmitable after the body has extablished antibodies,
why develop vaccines. Under that senereo they'd never work
and we know vaccines do work.
Of course if you find any medical studies or clincal trials regarding this issue, please post a cite. I would love to see them.
I totally agree. I think if isn't documented in the medical/scientific literature, and herpes experts only *think* it could happen, obviously it's not common - and maybe it's questionable whether it happens at all.
I am angry at the bad advice given and here is why.
I read IN DETAIL, the research paper on HSV-1 published in the April, 2003 issue of "Sexually Transmitted Diseases" journal by Dr. Anna Wald, which Dr. HHH quotes heavily when giving advice about genital HSV-1 (including the facts in the FAQ).
Here's where he is wrong:
1. The study had 77 people who came in with the initial diagnosis BY CULTURE of genital HSV-1. They were followed on average about 700 days, but some up to 4 years.
2. Of the initial 77 people in the study 4 OF THEM HAD PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ORAL HSV-1....it's right there in the table on page 2. So they contracted genital HSV-1 after having oral HSV-1.... 4 out of 77 people represents 5%...it's not a once in a million "unlucky occurence". I wish Dr. HHH would have read this before making his blanket statements that you can't catch genital HSV-1 in another location after having it orally "even if you try". BAD ADVICE! You wanted documented scientific proof not just anecdotal reports monkeyflower: Anna Wald, MD is a world renown expert in the filed and Dr. HHH admits to having learned much of his knowledge from her...it's too bad he mis-interprets her results and then passes wrong information to patients. This science does not lie.
3. Dr. HHH is also wrong in quoting the percentages of recurrence. He states in the FAQs that 40% of the study patients never had another recurrence (not true... 43% had no recurrence the first year...67% no recurrence the second year). Some of the patients recurred after taking the first year "off".
More importantly, 23 of the patients were followed into the 4th year and 11 of these (parts of the initial 77) continued to have recurrences into the 4th year. 8 of these had just one recurrences, but 3 of them had 2,3, and 4 recurrences respectively in year 4. If my math serves me correctly 11 of 77 patients represents 14% who continued to have long term recurrences. Dr. HHH still maintains that less than 10% will continue to have recurrences past 2 years. I
f you read the FAQ's you would also think that after initial diagnosis with genital HSV-1 the course is simple: you will just have 1-2 more episodes and then it will stop. It is not so. 27% had 2-8 episodes in year one of infection and 15% had 2-5 episodes in year 2.
Again I ask the question: WHY DOWNPLAY THE TRUTH ABOUT GENITAL HSV-1? Why can't you be accurate?
All this aside, I am not blaming Dr. HHH for what happened to me. I brought this on to my partner first and then, after not wearing protection 2 months later, onto myself. Yes, I was cultured genitally and I am not just imagining the symptoms. I had lesions and they responded to Valtrex.
That being said, I have a serious problem with Dr. HHH's advice to me because I specifically asked him what the chances are of my contracting HSV-1 genitally and he made me sound like a lunatic for worrying about such an issue. It's serious disregard for another person. He either knew he was giving wrong information and he did not care or he did not know he was giving out wrong information because he did not do his research well enough. Either one is worrisome for someone who has a massive website in which he dispenses "expert" information to thousands of people who panic about herpes and listen to his advice.
I read IN DETAIL, the research paper on HSV-1 published in the April, 2003 issue of "Sexually Transmitted Diseases" journal by Dr. Anna Wald, which Dr. HHH quotes heavily when giving advice about genital HSV-1 (including the facts in the FAQ).
Here's where he is wrong:
1. The study had 77 people who came in with the initial diagnosis BY CULTURE of genital HSV-1. They were followed on average about 700 days, but some up to 4 years.
2. Of the initial 77 people in the study 4 OF THEM HAD PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ORAL HSV-1....it's right there in the table on page 2. So they contracted genital HSV-1 after having oral HSV-1.... 4 out of 77 people represents 5%...it's not a once in a million "unlucky occurence". I wish Dr. HHH would have read this before making his blanket statements that you can't catch genital HSV-1 in another location after having it orally "even if you try". BAD ADVICE! You wanted documented scientific proof not just anecdotal reports monkeyflower: Anna Wald, MD is a world renown expert in the filed and Dr. HHH admits to having learned much of his knowledge from her...it's too bad he mis-interprets her results and then passes wrong information to patients. This science does not lie.
3. Dr. HHH is also wrong in quoting the percentages of recurrence. He states in the FAQs that 40% of the study patients never had another recurrence (not true... 43% had no recurrence the first year...67% no recurrence the second year). Some of the patients recurred after taking the first year "off".
More importantly, 23 of the patients were followed into the 4th year and 11 of these (parts of the initial 77) continued to have recurrences into the 4th year. 8 of these had just one recurrences, but 3 of them had 2,3, and 4 recurrences respectively in year 4. If my math serves me correctly 11 of 77 patients represents 14% who continued to have long term recurrences. Dr. HHH still maintains that less than 10% will continue to have recurrences past 2 years. I
f you read the FAQ's you would also think that after initial diagnosis with genital HSV-1 the course is simple: you will just have 1-2 more episodes and then it will stop. It is not so. 27% had 2-8 episodes in year one of infection and 15% had 2-5 episodes in year 2.
Again I ask the question: WHY DOWNPLAY THE TRUTH ABOUT GENITAL HSV-1? Why can't you be accurate?
All this aside, I am not blaming Dr. HHH for what happened to me. I brought this on to my partner first and then, after not wearing protection 2 months later, onto myself. Yes, I was cultured genitally and I am not just imagining the symptoms. I had lesions and they responded to Valtrex.
That being said, I have a serious problem with Dr. HHH's advice to me because I specifically asked him what the chances are of my contracting HSV-1 genitally and he made me sound like a lunatic for worrying about such an issue. It's serious disregard for another person. He either knew he was giving wrong information and he did not care or he did not know he was giving out wrong information because he did not do his research well enough. Either one is worrisome for someone who has a massive website in which he dispenses "expert" information to thousands of people who panic about herpes and listen to his advice.
I haven't read the study but I think you're making an assumption
That may not be true.
The statement
Of the initial 77 people in the study 4 OF THEM HAD PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ORAL HSV-1....it's right there in the table on page 2. So they contracted genital HSV-1 after having oral HSV-1....
doesn't justify the conclusion you come to.
Assuming they contacted genital HSV1 after having oral
HSV1 is not evidenced by the above statement
They probably were originally HSV1 negative and contacted
Both Genital and Oral HSV1 during the first exposure before
the antibodies had a change to develop.
I think this is consistent with Dr. Handsfield's position although I don't want to speak for him.
This should be no surprise as a person with Oral HSV1 could in
Fact transmit it genitally and orally to a HSV1 negative person
Through oral sex and kissing on the mouth. Both these activities normally occur during a single sexual encounter.
In my opinion, you probably already had Genital and Oral HSV1
and just didn't realize you had it genitally. Your girlfriend,
in my opinion, never transmitted it to you
As a side note, there's a danger in trying to read into these small scale studies more than is justified. For example the
statistical failure rate of the tests may be 5 per cent.
The only way to really measure the transmission rate, if it exists, is to find a statistically significant number of couples
who are positive for oral HSV1 and measure the genital transmission rate. How you would do this with the
current technology may be a problem. Antibody tests
cannot determine where the infection is. Cultures or swabs
are not possible if the person contacting it genitally
have no symptoms.
That may not be true.
The statement
Of the initial 77 people in the study 4 OF THEM HAD PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ORAL HSV-1....it's right there in the table on page 2. So they contracted genital HSV-1 after having oral HSV-1....
doesn't justify the conclusion you come to.
Assuming they contacted genital HSV1 after having oral
HSV1 is not evidenced by the above statement
They probably were originally HSV1 negative and contacted
Both Genital and Oral HSV1 during the first exposure before
the antibodies had a change to develop.
I think this is consistent with Dr. Handsfield's position although I don't want to speak for him.
This should be no surprise as a person with Oral HSV1 could in
Fact transmit it genitally and orally to a HSV1 negative person
Through oral sex and kissing on the mouth. Both these activities normally occur during a single sexual encounter.
In my opinion, you probably already had Genital and Oral HSV1
and just didn't realize you had it genitally. Your girlfriend,
in my opinion, never transmitted it to you
As a side note, there's a danger in trying to read into these small scale studies more than is justified. For example the
statistical failure rate of the tests may be 5 per cent.
The only way to really measure the transmission rate, if it exists, is to find a statistically significant number of couples
who are positive for oral HSV1 and measure the genital transmission rate. How you would do this with the
current technology may be a problem. Antibody tests
cannot determine where the infection is. Cultures or swabs
are not possible if the person contacting it genitally
have no symptoms.
I don't know why you perpetuate your theory when you have not even made the simple effort to read the actual study by Dr. Anna Wald. Do me a favor and stop siding with the theory that YOU want to believe and stick with the scientific facts. The 4 people I mentioned in that study had PREVIOUS oral HSV-1 history. It's there in black and white. I tried to reproduce the table directly from the study below for you since I don't know if you will go searching for it yourself.
TABLE 1. Demographic, Behavioral, and Clinical Characteristics of Study Participants With Genital HSV-1 Infection
No. (%) of Participants or Other Value Variable All Women Men
Patients 77(100) 48 (62) 29 (38)
Age (y) at genital HSV-1 acquisition: median (range)
23 (17
TABLE 1. Demographic, Behavioral, and Clinical Characteristics of Study Participants With Genital HSV-1 Infection
No. (%) of Participants or Other Value Variable All Women Men
Patients 77(100) 48 (62) 29 (38)
Age (y) at genital HSV-1 acquisition: median (range)
23 (17
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
