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Exposure to cold sore
I am an uncircumcised 24 year old mle and 24 days ago I received oral sex from long timr gf. She also kissed me heavily and she had a scabbed cold sore she had been treating with zoovirax. 4 hours after the oral sex, I went to the ER and was inmediately given 2 grams of valtrex and a 7 seven day prescription. I was tested two days after and I am negative for both hsv 1 and 2. I still have not had any symptoms either in my mouth or genital area except a mild rash in my leg ( no redness or any visible sign) that bothers me only with contact with clothes.
Questions:
1) Could the valtrex have delayed the primary outbreak for more than 24 days?
2) If I dont have any sympytoms in the next week, do my chances of not having genital hsv 1 increases?
3) If i test at 8 weeks, could the valtrex delay seroconversion?
4) What percentage of people get genital hsv 1 without a primary outbreak?
5)If I was exposed to the virus to my mouth and genital area, can I develop a simultaneus infection?
6). If i am infected, will there be a problem with me receiving the mmr and varicella vaccine again? (i need it for med school entranced)
Sorry for the long list of quetions, but i have bee sufering with deep anxiety for the last 24 days an it is killing me.
If there are too many questions I will be happy to split the post and pay again.
Thank you very much
Questions:
1) Could the valtrex have delayed the primary outbreak for more than 24 days?
2) If I dont have any sympytoms in the next week, do my chances of not having genital hsv 1 increases?
3) If i test at 8 weeks, could the valtrex delay seroconversion?
4) What percentage of people get genital hsv 1 without a primary outbreak?
5)If I was exposed to the virus to my mouth and genital area, can I develop a simultaneus infection?
6). If i am infected, will there be a problem with me receiving the mmr and varicella vaccine again? (i need it for med school entranced)
Sorry for the long list of quetions, but i have bee sufering with deep anxiety for the last 24 days an it is killing me.
If there are too many questions I will be happy to split the post and pay again.
Thank you very much
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for this interesting question.
You had an exposure that could well have been high risk, especially since you apparently do not have HSV-1 (based on the negative blood test). (If that test had been positive, it would mean you were infected in the past and are now immune to a new HSV-1 infection.)
While I understand the attempt to prevent infection by prescribing valacyclovir (Valtrex), such treatment after exposure does not prevent HSV transmission. In animal experiments, to be effective in prevention the drug has to be in the system before exposure, or given within 1 hour. However, it is possible such treatment could delay symptoms and/or positive test results.
Having said all that, absence of symptoms at 24 days is reassuring. Had you been infected, then even with the valacyclovir treatment, I would have expected symptoms by that time. However, I cannot say for sure and would encourage you to continue to be on the lookout for both genital and oral symptoms; and to have a follow-up blood test. To your specific questions:
1) Valacyclovir delay of symptoms: see above.
2) The longer you go without symptoms, the greater the chance you were not infected.
3) Yes, this might happen. While an 8 week test makes sense, I would also recommend a final test after 3-4 months. If that is negative, you can consider yourself home free.
4) This isn't really known. Most people who are alarmed and on the lookout for even mild symptoms probably would notice something. But not all.
5) Oral infection alone would be most likely, since HSV-1 more readily infects oral tissues more than genital. But infection of both exposed sites certainly could occur.
6) I'm not sure why this would be on your mind. Having HSV of either type does not interfere with response to any vaccines at all.
In summary, the odds are very strong (90% or higher, as a guess) that you were not infected. But do follow through with the additional blood tests to be certain.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You had an exposure that could well have been high risk, especially since you apparently do not have HSV-1 (based on the negative blood test). (If that test had been positive, it would mean you were infected in the past and are now immune to a new HSV-1 infection.)
While I understand the attempt to prevent infection by prescribing valacyclovir (Valtrex), such treatment after exposure does not prevent HSV transmission. In animal experiments, to be effective in prevention the drug has to be in the system before exposure, or given within 1 hour. However, it is possible such treatment could delay symptoms and/or positive test results.
Having said all that, absence of symptoms at 24 days is reassuring. Had you been infected, then even with the valacyclovir treatment, I would have expected symptoms by that time. However, I cannot say for sure and would encourage you to continue to be on the lookout for both genital and oral symptoms; and to have a follow-up blood test. To your specific questions:
1) Valacyclovir delay of symptoms: see above.
2) The longer you go without symptoms, the greater the chance you were not infected.
3) Yes, this might happen. While an 8 week test makes sense, I would also recommend a final test after 3-4 months. If that is negative, you can consider yourself home free.
4) This isn't really known. Most people who are alarmed and on the lookout for even mild symptoms probably would notice something. But not all.
5) Oral infection alone would be most likely, since HSV-1 more readily infects oral tissues more than genital. But infection of both exposed sites certainly could occur.
6) I'm not sure why this would be on your mind. Having HSV of either type does not interfere with response to any vaccines at all.
In summary, the odds are very strong (90% or higher, as a guess) that you were not infected. But do follow through with the additional blood tests to be certain.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You continue to overreact unnecessarily, and you can't expect another round of hand-holding every time you have another anxious thought. This information doesn't change my opinion or advice. And even if you were to have acquired either oral or genital HSV-1, it shouldn't be any big deal (http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Recently-diagnosed-with-Genital-Herpes-HSV1/show/969931). But I continue to believe you were not infeted.
That will end this thread. Try to move on without worry.
That will end this thread. Try to move on without worry.
Hello Dr. H,
I forgot to mention that last week i had a mild elevated temperature in the nights ( at around 99.5 ) but it would be around normal during the day and later when i would go to sleep. Would this temperature along with the bothersome sensation in my rigth thigh be the symptoms of an atypical outbreak or is it my anxiety?
Thank very much, i have been dying of anxiety for the last three weeks
I forgot to mention that last week i had a mild elevated temperature in the nights ( at around 99.5 ) but it would be around normal during the day and later when i would go to sleep. Would this temperature along with the bothersome sensation in my rigth thigh be the symptoms of an atypical outbreak or is it my anxiety?
Thank very much, i have been dying of anxiety for the last three weeks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Three weeks is said to be the maximum, and I've never had a patient with new HSV whose incubation period was longer than 10 days. But I don't know that I've ever had a patient who had taken anti-herpetic therapy after exposure. As I said, it is doubtful you were infected, but I would not guarantee it until you have had a negative blood test after 3-4 months.
Thank you very much Dr H.
Yes, the cold sore was healing. Just one quick follow up. What have been the latest you have seen a primary outbreak to ocurr after exposure ( if there is to be one).
This is my final coment. Thank you very much for the help.
Yes, the cold sore was healing. Just one quick follow up. What have been the latest you have seen a primary outbreak to ocurr after exposure ( if there is to be one).
This is my final coment. Thank you very much for the help.
Thank you very much Dr H.
Yes, the cold sore was healing. Just one quick follow up. What have been the latest you have seen a primary outbreak to ocurr after exposure ( if there is to be one).
This is my final coment. Thank you very much for the help.
Yes, the cold sore was healing. Just one quick follow up. What have been the latest you have seen a primary outbreak to ocurr after exposure ( if there is to be one).
This is my final coment. Thank you very much for the help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I should have added that your partner's oral herpes seems to have been healing, as indicated by the scab, and there's a good chance it was not infectious at the time of exposure.
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.
