Aa
HSV Concerns
Hi doctor,
I have recently been reading up on the internet about HSV 1 & 2 and there are some things I'm really concerned about. About 3 weeks ago I had an encounter where I recieved oral sex from a woman, and since that time I've been concerned that I may have contracted HSV 2 (from her mouth to my genitals). Although, she did not have any noticable symptoms of anything on her mouth, and to this day I have had no noticable symptoms of anything in my genital region. I'm mainly concerned since I've heard that HSV 2 can be contracted without having any symptoms, and therefore I dont know if I should get myself tested or not.
On top of this I just had some questions to hopefully break all the confusion and misleading information about Herpes.
1. Is it possible/likely to contract HSV 2 through kissing?
2. Is it true that most cases of HSV 2 are asymptomatic?
3. This is slightly unrelated, but its with regards to HPV. Im not sure if HPV can be cured or if it goes away on its own if infected? but is it possible to contract HPV or genital warts from kissing or recieving oral sex?
4. would I know if I had HPV/ Genital warts, or does this virus also go without symptoms. ( I mainly ask this since I really want to get the hpv vaccine)
Thank you very much for your time doctor,
any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have recently been reading up on the internet about HSV 1 & 2 and there are some things I'm really concerned about. About 3 weeks ago I had an encounter where I recieved oral sex from a woman, and since that time I've been concerned that I may have contracted HSV 2 (from her mouth to my genitals). Although, she did not have any noticable symptoms of anything on her mouth, and to this day I have had no noticable symptoms of anything in my genital region. I'm mainly concerned since I've heard that HSV 2 can be contracted without having any symptoms, and therefore I dont know if I should get myself tested or not.
On top of this I just had some questions to hopefully break all the confusion and misleading information about Herpes.
1. Is it possible/likely to contract HSV 2 through kissing?
2. Is it true that most cases of HSV 2 are asymptomatic?
3. This is slightly unrelated, but its with regards to HPV. Im not sure if HPV can be cured or if it goes away on its own if infected? but is it possible to contract HPV or genital warts from kissing or recieving oral sex?
4. would I know if I had HPV/ Genital warts, or does this virus also go without symptoms. ( I mainly ask this since I really want to get the hpv vaccine)
Thank you very much for your time doctor,
any help would be greatly appreciated.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD Prevention Forum. I'll be happy to try to address your concerns. In reading your post, it is my suspicion that your concerns are out of proportion to your true risk. I also worry that your concerns represents a great example of the power of the internet not only to inform but also to mislead. While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong. With that as background, let's work through your questions:
1. No it is not. Oral HSV-2 infections do occur but rarely. Most commonly among men who have sex with other men, not women. Further, in the absence of a sore, the chances of transmission of HSV from an infected person have been estimated by experts to be less than 1 in 10,000. This is not something for a person with the history that you report to worry about.
2. No, this is incorrect. They are often unrecognized but not asymptomatic. People sometimes expect HSV to have more obvious and painful than it often is and as a result note mild signs and symptoms which they attribute to something else. In your case, my sense is that you are on the lookout for lesions so you would be unlikely to miss an initial outbreak.
3. HPV from kissing or oral sex is not a meaningful concern, not to mention there is not much one can do about it. This is, as you point out, off topic. For more information on HPV (as well as HSV for that matter, I would recommend the excellent web site run by the American Social Health Association (Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the ASHA Board of Directors).
4. See the web site. With or without symptoms however, I recommend the HPV vaccine for virtually everyone.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH
1. No it is not. Oral HSV-2 infections do occur but rarely. Most commonly among men who have sex with other men, not women. Further, in the absence of a sore, the chances of transmission of HSV from an infected person have been estimated by experts to be less than 1 in 10,000. This is not something for a person with the history that you report to worry about.
2. No, this is incorrect. They are often unrecognized but not asymptomatic. People sometimes expect HSV to have more obvious and painful than it often is and as a result note mild signs and symptoms which they attribute to something else. In your case, my sense is that you are on the lookout for lesions so you would be unlikely to miss an initial outbreak.
3. HPV from kissing or oral sex is not a meaningful concern, not to mention there is not much one can do about it. This is, as you point out, off topic. For more information on HPV (as well as HSV for that matter, I would recommend the excellent web site run by the American Social Health Association (Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the ASHA Board of Directors).
4. See the web site. With or without symptoms however, I recommend the HPV vaccine for virtually everyone.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1. HSV is not transmitted by hand to genital contact and is not transferred from person to person on persons' hands. Transmission is only through direct contact.
2. No, if you had already contract HPV there are still several other tuypes in the vaccine that you would be protected against. Get the vaccine (and this is covered on the web site I recommended)
3. No, there is no reason for HSV testing. EWH
2. No, if you had already contract HPV there are still several other tuypes in the vaccine that you would be protected against. Get the vaccine (and this is covered on the web site I recommended)
3. No, there is no reason for HSV testing. EWH
Thank you very much for that information, it really cleared up a lot of misconceptions that I had.
There were also two other questions I had that I forgot to ask, if you could help me out with them aswell.
1. It is possible/likely to contract HSV 2 from touching the genital area (via hands), or does it only transmit through places where there are mucos membranes.
2. Although, if I somehow already had contracted HPV, then would'nt the vaccine be useless for me?
3. Would you reccomend me getting tested for HSV?
Thank you for your time,
You've been very helpfull.
There were also two other questions I had that I forgot to ask, if you could help me out with them aswell.
1. It is possible/likely to contract HSV 2 from touching the genital area (via hands), or does it only transmit through places where there are mucos membranes.
2. Although, if I somehow already had contracted HPV, then would'nt the vaccine be useless for me?
3. Would you reccomend me getting tested for HSV?
Thank you for your time,
You've been very helpfull.
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.
